NCJ Number
54749
Journal
CRIME AND/ET JUSTICE Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (1978) Pages: 53-58
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
AN EVALUATION MODEL IS PRESENTED WHICH PROVIDES OUTCOME DATA ON TREATMENT PROGRAMS USED IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AT A MINIMUM INVESTMENT OF TIME AND MONEY.
Abstract
IN SPITE OF THE COMMON USE OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN CORRECTIONS, THERE HAVE BEEN FEW EVALUATIONS OF THEIR EFFECT. MOST OF THE AVAILABLE RESEARCH HAS BEEN CONDUCTED ON EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMS WHICH ARE CARRIED OUT BY SPECIALLY TRAINED PERSONNEL. FUNDING FOR THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS USUALLY EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT SPENT ON ACTUAL PROGRAMS FOR INMATES. TO DEVELOP AN IMPROVED EVALUATION PROGRAM, RESEARCHERS EMPLOYED 36 MALE RESIDENTS OF A CANADIAN MINIMUM SECURITY PRISON. THE SUBJECTS HAD SPENT MORE THAN 2 MONTHS AT THE INSTITUTION AND WERE PARTICIPANTS IN THE SCHOOL PROGRAM. TWENTY-FOUR SUBJECTS WERE TESTED AND OBTAINED A MEAN INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT (IQ) OF 89. ALTHOUGH THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM DID NOT EMPLOY ANY REVOLUTIONARY CONCEPTS, IT DID INCORPORATE INNOVATIONS THAT REFLECTED THE DIVERSITY OF THE NEEDS OF EACH RESIDENT. BY HAVING SHORT, SELF-CONTAINED COURSES THAT CAN BE ENTERED EVERY NINTH WEEK AND BY OFFERING COURSES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR MOST STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO BEING TRAINING WITH A MINIMUM OF DELAY AND WITHOUT EXPERIENCING 'VACATIONS' BETWEEN TERMS. THE CURRICULUM FEATURED A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS INCLUDING REMEDIAL READING, MARKETABLE SKILLS, PRACTICAL SHOP, AND THE SECONDARY DIPLOMA PROGRAM. IN EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM, THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE INMATES ON THE PEABODY INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS BEFORE ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM AND AFTERWARDS WAS ALSO SIGNIFICANT. THE DATA SUGGEST THAT THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IS EFFECTIVE, BUT DO NOT INDICATE WHICH COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM CAUSE THE DESIRED EFFECT. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)