NCJ Number
55305
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: (WINTER 1978) Pages: 357-361
Date Published
1979
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE LACK OF DATA ON THE EFFECTIVE USE OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROBATION IS DISCUSSED, ALONG WITH AN EVALUATION OF PROJECT FIRST OFFENDER, A VOLUNTEER TREATMENT PROGRAM IN KNOX AND ANDERSON COUNTIES, TENN.
Abstract
DESPITE THE WIDESPREAD USE OF VOLUNTEERS IN COURTS, PROBATION, AND PAROLE, SUPRISINGLY LITTLE HARD EVIDENCE EXISTS DEMONSTRATING THEIR EFFECTIVENESS. SEVERAL STUDIES AIMED AT DOCUMENTING THE EFFECTIVE ROLE OF VOLUNTEERS HAVE ACHIEVED INCONCLUSIVE RESULTS, CHIEFLY BECAUSE EVALUATIVE RESEARCH IN CORRECTIONS IS PROVING TO BE A DIFFICULT FORM OF APPLIED RESEARCH AND THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM MAKE IT HARD TO DEFINE UNAMBIGUOUSLY WHAT TREATMENTS ARE BEING EVALUATED AND TO REPLICATE SUCH TREATMENTS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS. VOLUNTEERS IN PROJECT FIRST OFFENDER WORK ON A ONE-TO-ONE BASIS WITH JUVENILES TO FACILITATE THEIR ADJUSTMENT TO THE DEMANDS OF SOCIETY BY HELPING CLIENTS GET JOBS, REMAIN IN SCHOOL, AND STAY OUT OF TROUBLE. THIRTY-THREE CLIENTS WERE SELECTED FROM ALL THOSE WHO HAD PARTICIPATED IN THE PROJECT, AND QUESTIONNAIRES SOLICITING INFORMATION ABOUT CLIENT-VOLUNTEER INTERACTION AND CLIENT PROBLEMS WERE MAILED TO EACH; 14 WERE RETURNED. A CONTROL GROUP OF 14 JUVENILES ON TRADITIONAL PROBATION WERE MATCHED WITH THE TREATMENT GROUP FOR YEAR OF BIRTH, SEX, RACE, OFFENSE HISTORY, AND MOST RECENT ARREST. CONTROLS WERE COMPARED WITH THE TREATMENT GROUP ON RECIDIVISM, SCHOOL ENROLLMENT, JOB HOLDING, AND OTHER PROBLEM BEHAVIORS, INCLUDING EXCESSIVE DRINKING, TRUANCY, AND ARGUMENTS WITH FAMILIES. THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT PROJECT FIRST OFFENDER WAS NOT DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL PROBATION IN TERMS OF RECIDIVISM, JOB HOLDING, OR OTHER SELECTED PROBLEM BEHAVIOR AREAS. THERE WAS A MARGINAL TENDENCY FOR CONTROLS TO BE IN SCHOOL MORE OFTEN THAN CLIENTS. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (KBL)