NCJ Number
43326
Date Published
Unknown
Length
55 pages
Annotation
FOUR HALFWAY HOUSES WERE STUDIED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF A STRUCTURED, SEQUENTIAL PROGRAM ON STAFF, COMMUNICATION, AND AUTHORITY OVER RESIDENTS. THE STRUCTURED PROGRAMS HAD GREATER STAFF INVOLVEMENT.
Abstract
TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS TYPES OF SOCIAL TECHNOLOGY ON OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES IN HALFWAY HOUSES, FOUR FACILITIES IN MINNESOTA WERE ANALYZED. ALL WERE INSTITUTIONS WHICH HAD BEEN OPERATING FOR MORE THAN 1 YEAR. TWO USED SEQUENTIAL TECHNOLOGY IN WHICH TREATMENT WAS DETAILED IN WRITTEN FORM, FOLLOWED A PRESCRIBED SERIES OF STEPS, AND VIOLATIONS HAD WELL-DEFINED PENALTIES. ONE WAS A RESIDENTIAL FACILITY WITH ALL TREATMENT SUPPLIED BY OUTSIDE SOCIAL AGENCIES. ONE WAS INFORMALLY ORGANIZED WITH TREATMENT PROVIDED INHOUSE. STAFF IN THE TWO HOUSES WITH SEQUENTIAL PROGRAMMING REPORTED HIGH LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION IN BOTH OPERATIONAL DECISIONS AND STRATEGIC DECISIONS AFFECTING THEIR ORGANIZATION. IN THESE HOUSES, STAFF WITH BOTH ROUTINE AND NONROUTINE JOBS EMPHASIZED THE PROVISION OF THE HALFWAY HOUSE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION AND AS AN ATTEMPT TO RESOCIALIZE RESIDENTS. ALTHOUGH THESE HOUSES EXERTED MORE AUTHORITY OVER RESIDENTS (SIGNIFICANT AT THE .01 LEVEL), THEY ALSO TENDED TO BE LESS BUREAUCRATIC. THIS MAY BE BECAUSE STAFF AT ALL LEVELS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN DECISIONMAKING, WHILE LESS STRUCTURED HOUSES TENDED TO HAVE ALL DECISIONS MADE BY A FEW. ALTHOUGH THESE RESULTS ARE BASED ON A PILOT PROJECT, THEY SUGGEST THAT SOCIAL TECHNOLOGY CAN HAVE AS IMPORTANT AN EFFECT ON A PROGRAM AS OPERATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.