NCJ Number
58103
Date Published
1978
Length
165 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY EXAMINED POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE MILITARY CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM IN TERMS OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND FEASIBILITY AND FOUND THAT EXPENDITURES CAN BE REDUCED WITH NO ADVERSE IMPACT ON SOCIETY AND RECIDIVISM.
Abstract
THE STUDY DESIGN ENTAILED A SEARCH FOR AND REVIEW OF PROGRAM EVALUATIONS, ASSESSMENTS OF EVALUATIONS, AND OTHER DATA AND INFORMATION RELATED TO THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF VARIOUS CORRECTIONAL TECHNIQUES AND PROGRAMS. MODELS WERE EMPLOYED TO DEPICT AND ANALYZE DATA. ONE MODEL THAT HELPED TO CLARIFY AND LIMIT THE ANALYSIS WAS BASED ON A CONCEPT OF CRIME PREVENTION AT THREE LEVELS: (1) PRIMARY PREVENTION, MODIFICATION OF CRIMINOGENIC CONDITIONS IN THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENT; (2) SECONDARY PREVENTION, EARLY INTERVENTION IN CRIMINOGENIC CIRCUMSTANCES; AND (3) TERTIARY PREVENTION, PREVENTING OR AT LEAST REDUCING RECIDIVISM. THE FOCUS ON TERTIARY PREVENTION (RECIDVISM) AS A CORRECTIONAL GOAL SERVED TO RESTRICT THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY TO A MANAGEABLE PROBLEM. DATA ANALYSIS RELIED ON AN A PRIORI MODEL IN WHICH THE DEFINITION OF (VENGEANCE, REHABILITATION, OR DETERRENCE) PRECEDED CONSIDERATION OF COSTS AND BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH CHANGE. ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO SUCH TECHNIQUES AND PROGRAMS AS PROBATION, PAROLE, SHOCK PROBATION AND PAROLE CONCEPTS, RESTITUTION, INCARCERATION, WEEKEND JAIL, SENTENCING TO COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND HALFWAY HOUSES AND DIVERSION PROGRAMS. THE STUDY CONCLUDES THAT THERE ARE A VARIETY OF MEANS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN USED TO DECREASE THE COST OF MILITARY CORRECTIONS, THERE ARE NUMEROUS WAYS OF HANDLING OFFENDERS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN USED BY THE MILITARY, PROBATION AND PAROLE DO NOT REPRESENT VIABLE ALTERNATIVES IN TERMS OF REDUCING CORRECTIONAL COSTS AND DECREASING THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM, THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE THAT INSTITUTIONAL REHABILITATION PROGRAMS SUCH AS ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, WORK RELEASE AND JOB PLACEMENT, CLEMENCY, PAROLE, AND RESTORATION AFFECT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INMATES OR RECIDIVISM RATES, GENERALITIES REPORTED IN SOME STUDIES MUST BE TAKEN AS CIRCUMSPECT, GIVEN THE NATURE OF PROGRAM EVALUATION AND THE COMPLEXITY OF VARIABLES AFFECTING BOTH COST AND PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS; THERE IS A NEED FOR A CONCEPTUAL MODEL OR CORRECTIONAL OBJECTIVE TO ENHANCE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OR COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF MILITARY CORRECTIONAL ALTERNATIVE, AND THE MILITARY CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM CAN BE MADE MORE COST-EFFECTIVE BY REFINING ITS VARIOUS PARTS OR BY ADAPTING ENTIRELY NEW APPROACHES. A DECISIONAL MATRIX FOR DEALING WITH OFFENDERS AND SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA ARE PRESENTED. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON PROGRAM AND PAROLE ASSESSMENT AND ON VARIOUS STUDIES DEALING WITH RECIDIVISM IS CONTAINED IN APPENDIXES. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (DEP)