NCJ Number
53968
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1979) Pages: 55-64
Date Published
1979
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE NEWGATE PROJECT, AN EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR INMATES LAUNCHED IN 1961 BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AND THE STATE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT, IS DESCRIBED, AND ITS FIRST 5 YEARS OF OPERATION EXAMINED.
Abstract
THE MINNESOTA NEWGATE PROGRAM USED FULL-TIME COLLEGE WORK AS PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE THAT INCLUDES CLASSES WITHIN THE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION (THE MINNESOTA STATE REFORMATORY), GROUP COUNSELING, AND TRANSFER TO A HALFWAY HOUSE ON THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CAMPUS UPON PAROLE. THE PROGRAM'S AIM IS TO ORIENT THE STUDENT TOWARD A PROMISING CAREER; IT PROVIDES EACH PARTICIPANT WITH INTENSIVE GROUP GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT AND BRIDGES THE TRANSITION FROM THE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION TO THE COMMUNITY. NEWGATERS (PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS) ARE DIVIDED INTO GROUPS OF NINE OR TEN INMATES, AND THE GROUPS MEET FOUR OR FIVE TIMES WEEKLY. RESPONSIBLE PARTICIPATION IS MANDATORY, BUT NO BEHAVIORAL RULES, OTHER THAN ABSTINENCE FROM DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ON THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, ARE IMPOSED. FROM 1969 TO 1975, THE NEWGATE PROJECT HAD 45 PARTICIPANTS, MOSTLY INMATES BETWEEN THE AGES OF 19 AND 30 WITH LONG AND SERIOUS DELINQUENCY RECORDS AND A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION. THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM WAS EVALUATED BY ANALYZING DATA ON THE EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AND RECIDIVISM RATES OF NEWGATE STUDENTS. RESULTS INDICATE THAT NEWGATE IS SUCCESSFUL; 123 STUDENTS COMPLETED ONE-HALF OF THE WORK ON CAMPUS, 9 STUDENTS EARNED BACHELOR DEGREES, AND 89 STUDENTS EARNED MORE CREDITS THAN WERE NECESSARY TO OBTAIN A BACHELOR DEGREE. ALSO, 78 PERCENT OF THE NEWGATERS HAD NOT BEEN REINCARCERATED AT THE TIME OF THE ANALYSIS. INFORMATION ON PROGRAM COSTS AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)