NCJ Number
36379
Date Published
1976
Length
282 pages
Annotation
REPORT ON AN EFFORT TO DETERMINE WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT HALFWAY HOUSES, WHAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION COULD BE PROVIDED THROUGH FURTHER EVALUATION, AND THE COST AND VALUE OF OBTAINING SUCH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Abstract
THIS STUDY OF HALFWAY HOUSES IS BASED ON THE REVIEW OF 55 EVALUATIONS OF HOUSE PROGRAMS AND THE SURVEY OF AN ADDITIONAL 153 PROGRAMS. IT DESCRIBES THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HALFWAY HOUSES, THEIR CURRENT OPERATIONS AND PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR RECONCILING THEORY AND OPERATIONS. THE STUDY MAINTAINS THAT FEW METHODOLOGICALLY SOUND EVALUATIONS OF HALFWAY HOUSES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BECAUSE OF THE USE IN INSENSITIVE OUTCOME MEASURES AND VAGUE PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. A REVIEW OF EXISTING EVALUATIONS SUGGESTS SOME CONCLUSIONS ABOUT HALFWAY HOUSE WHICH INCLUDE: HOUSES ARE AS EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IN THE COMMUNITY AS ALTERNATIVES WHICH INVOLVE COMMUNITY RELEASE; THE PLACEMENT OF A HALFWAY HOUSE IN A COMMUNITY NEITHER INCREASES CRIME NOR DECREASES PROPERTY VALUES; HOUSES ASSIST THEIR CLIENTS IN LOCATING EMPLOYMENT BUT NOT NECESSARILY MAINTAINING IT; HOUSES ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THE BASIC NEEDS OF THEIR CLIENTS AS WELL AS OTHER FORMS OF RELEASE; AT FULL CAPACITY, HOUSES COST NO MORE, AND PROBABLY LESS, THAN INCARCERATION, ALTHOUGH THEY COST MORE THAN PAROLE AND OUTRIGHT RELEASE; THE AVAILABLE CAPACITY OF HALFWAY HOUSES IS ONLY PARTIALLY UTILIZED AT PRESENT, THUS DRIVING UP ACTUAL PER DIEM COSTS; AND EVALUATIONS OF HALFWAY HOUSES TEND NOT TO PRODUCE CHANGES IN ACTUAL HOUSE OPERATIONS. THE INTERNATIONAL HALFWAY HOUSE ASSOCIATION'S (IHHA) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS ARE APPENDED. FOR RELATED PHASE ONE REPORTS, SEE NCJ-36380-84. FOR THE SUMMARY OF THIS REPORT, SEE NCJ-36383, (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)