NCJ Number
44623
Date Published
1977
Length
57 pages
Annotation
THE RESOURCES, STRUCTURE, AND OPERATIONS OF THE RECIDIVISM-MONITORING PROGRAM BEGUN IN PUERTO RICO IN JULY 1974 ARE EVALUATED.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE DATA ON RECIDIVISM AND REHABILITATION RATES BY MAINTAINING 3-YEAR FOLLOWUP RECORDS ON ALL OFFENDERS RELEASED FROM CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS OR PROGRAMS IN PUERTO RICO. AT THE TIME OF THE EVALUATION, THE PROGRAM WAS ABOUT TO END ITS THIRD YEAR OF OPERATIONS, AT WHICH TIME IT WAS TO HAVE COLLECTED DATA ON APPROXIMATELY 22,000 RELEASEES AND PRODUCED ITS FIRST REPORT (FOR 1974-75). THE RESOURCES OF THE PROGRAM WERE FOUND TO BE ADEQUATE, ALTHOUGH PERSONNEL AND BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS DID EXIST. THE MONITORING SYSTEM ADDRESSED THE PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVES PROPERLY, WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS: DATA ON PERSONS WHO COMPLETED THEIR SENTENCE IN PROBATION OR PAROLE WERE NOT BEING COLLECTED; THERE WAS A HIGH PERCENTAGE (APPROXIMATELY 10 PERCENT) OF UNVERIFIED CASES; DATA ON PERSONS ENTERING CAMPS, THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR WOMEN, AND THE INSTITUTION FOR YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS WERE NOT BEING COLLECTED; THERE WERE CASES IN WHICH THE INSTITUTION OF ORIGIN WAS NOT PROPERLY IDENTIFIED; AND CERTAIN USEFUL DATA ON RECIDIVISTS WERE NOT BEING RECORDED. ALTHOUGH PROGRAM ACTIVITIES GENERALLY CONFORMED TO EXPECTATIONS, THE LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE WAS SOMEWHAT INADEQUATE IN THE AREAS OF PERSONNEL TRAINING, VERIFICATION OF INFORMATION, AND INCLUSION OF IMPORTANT VARIABLES TO EXPLAIN RECIDIVISM. DETAILS OF EVALUATION METHODS AND FINDINGS ARE PRESENTED. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OFFERED. (LKM)