NCJ Number
185644
Date Published
2000
Length
116 pages
Annotation
Shock incarceration in New York State was established by enabling legislation in July 1987, and the legislation mandated the Department of Correctional Services create a 6-month program to prepare young, nonviolent inmates for early parole release consideration.
Abstract
In addition, the Division of Parole created a special supervision program for shock incarceration parolees, a program designed to build on the intensity of programming begun at the institutional level and to provide coordinated aftercare for shock graduates. The New York Legislature required an ongoing evaluation of shock incarceration to be conducted to assure its objectives were being met. To this end, the 12th annual report on the program documents the creation of a rigorous, multi-treatment program that emphasizes discipline, academic education, substance abuse treatment, and group and individual counseling, all within a military structure. Between July 1987 and September 1999, 63,646 legally eligible inmates were screened for participation in shock incarceration. Among those reviewed, 34,367 inmate volunteers were sent to shock facilities, including 22,116 who graduated and were granted an early release to parole supervision. Fiscal analysis of shock incarceration indicated the program was cost effective. On average, shock graduates were released about 1 year prior to completion of their court-determined minimum period of incarceration. For the first 22,116 shock graduates, early release resulted in a total estimated savings of $681.5 million, including $569 million in operating costs and $112.5 million in capital construction costs. In addition, despite their short period of incarceration, shock inmates made strong academic progress relative to other inmates. Due to the rigorous yet therapeutic nature of the program, fewer misbehavior reports were written at shock facilities compared to minimum and medium security facilities. Additional information is appended on the shock incarceration program, shock inmates, and shock facilities. References, tables, and figures