Evaluation of Shock Incarceration in Louisiana

Using data analysis, interviews, and detailed direct observation, the process evaluation studied the program's decisionmaking, staffing, location, rehabilitation, and punishment. The evaluation showed that the combination of hard physical labor, boot camp atmosphere, and strict discipline could combine to present a potential for accidents and/or staff abuse of authority, but the correctional staff and administration in Louisiana seemed aware of these dangers. Inmates who completed the IMPACT program reported more positive attitudes toward their prison experience and toward correctional staff and were more optimistic about their futures than other inmates. Upon release, IMPACT participants became involved in more constructive social activities than their counterparts; the effect upon recidivism rates remains unclear. 14 notes