NCJ Number
46598
Date Published
Unknown
Length
19 pages
Annotation
A DESCRIPTION OF THE REHABILITATION CENTER AND ITS PROGRAMS AND AN ASSESSMENT OF THE LIKELY REASONS FOR THE LOW RECIDIVISM RATE AMONG CLIENTS ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
DEFINING RECIDIVISM AS THE RETURN OF FORMER CLIENTS TO JAIL, THE ALTO REHABILITATION CENTER SHOWS A SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER RATE OF RECIDIVISM AMONG ITS CLIENTS THAN DO OTHER REHABILITATION CENTERS THROUGHOUT GEORGIA. BECAUSE OF THIS, REASONS FOR ITS SUCCESS ARE INVESTIGATED. THE REHABILITATION CENTER AT ALTO WAS BEGUN IN 1963 AS A COOPERATIVE ACTIVITY AMONG SEVERAL STATE AGENCIES. A NEW BUILDING WAS BUILT ADJOINING THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL, WHICH WAS ON THE PRISON GROUNDS. IN 1968, A TRADE SCHOOL WAS ADDED TO THE COMPLEX, AND A DORMITORY FOR 80 INMATES HAS BEEN INCLUDED. EACH INMATE IS EVALUATED UPON ENTERING THE INSTITUTE, AND HIS REHABILITATION POTENTIAL IS DETERMINED BY A TEAM OF SPECIALISTS. AT THAT TIME IT IS DECIDED WHETHER ACADEMIC OR VOCATIONAL TRAINING WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL FOR THE CLIENT. UNLESS SOME LONG-TERM TRAINING PROGRAM IS REQUIRED, THE CLIENT DOES NOT BEGIN HIS REHABILITATION PROGRAMS UNTIL SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE HE BECOMES ELIGIBLE FOR RELEASE. AT THAT TIME A COMPREHENSIVE REHABILITATION PLAN IS DEVELOPED, WHICH MAY INCLUDE VOCATIONAL COUNSELING, VOCATIONAL TRAINING, MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY, OR A SELECTION FROM A FULL BATTERY OF OTHER SERVICES, DEPENDING ON THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF THE PARTICULAR CLIENT. COUNSELING AND SUPERVISION ARE CONTINUOUS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM AND ALSO INTO THE PERIOD BEYOND RELEASE FOR AS LONG AS NEEDED. REASONS CITED FOR SUCCESS ARE: (1) CONCENTRATED PERSONAL INTEREST IN THE CLIENT THROUGHOUT THE REHABILITATION PROCESS EVEN AFTER RELEASE; (2) THE HIGH QUALITY AND FULL RANGE OF SERVICES THAT CAN BE TAILORED TO SPECIFIC NEEDS OF EACH CLIENT; (3) UNUSUAL COOPERATION AMONG SEVERAL STATE AGENCIES AT THE CENTER. IT IS ALSO NOTED THAT THE SELECTION OF THE MOST PROMISING INMATES FOR THE BEST REHABILITATION EXPERIENCES MAY BE A FACTOR IN THE PROGRAM'S SUCCESS. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT NO CONTROL GROUP STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM BECAUSE OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE LEGALITY AND MORALITY OF WITHHOLDING REHABILITATION SERVICES FROM THOSE WHO MIGHT BE REASONABLY EXPECTED TO PROFIT FROM THEM. (RCB)