OPERATIONAL USE OF AN EXPERIENCE TABLE - SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT 7

• NCJ Number: 13241
• Author(s): P B HOFFMAN; D M GOTTFREDSON
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 40 pages
• Grant Number(s): 72-NI-99-0017; NI-71-080
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DESCRIPTION OF AN EXPERIMENT CONDUCTED TO OBSERVE THE IMPACT OF AN EXPERIENCE TABLE PREDICTING PAROLE SUCCESS ON DECISIONS OF PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS.

Abstract

THE AUTHORS DISCUSS THE OPERATIONAL USE OF AN EXPERIENCE TABLE AS AN AID TO PAROLE SELECTION. FOR THIS STUDY AN EXPERIENCE TABLE WAS DEVELOPED FOR THE UNITED STATES BOARD OF PAROLE. SAMPLES OF CURRENT ADULT MALE PAROLE OR REPAROLE CONSIDERATIONS WERE SELECTED, AND DECISIONS WERE MADE BY PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE DIVIDED INTO FOUR GROUPS. THE FIRST GROUP WAS GIVEN AN EXPERIENCE TABLE PRIOR TO CONSIDERATION AND WAS ASKED TO INDEPENDENTLY COMPLETE A RESPONSE FORM CONTAINING THREE ITEMS. THE SECOND GROUP WAS NOT GIVEN AN EXPERIENCE TABLE, BUT EACH MEMBER WAS GIVEN A FORM (CLINICAL RISK ESTIMATE) TO PREDICT PAROLE SUCCESS. THE THIRD GROUP MADE DECISIONS IN THE CUSTOMARY MANNER, WITHOUT AN EXPERIENCE TABLE OR A RESPONSE FORM. THE FOURTH GROUP WAS GIVEN AN EXPERIENCE TABLE BUT NO RESPONSE FORM. THE STUDY RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE EXPERIENCE TABLE DID INFLUENCE THE PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS' CLINICAL RISK ESTIMATES. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN SAMPLES OF THE RESPONSE FORMS USED.