ATTORNEYS AS ACTIVISTS - EVALUATING THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION'S BASICS (BAR ASSOCIATION SUPPORT TO IMPROVE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES) PROGRAM

• NCJ Number: 63303
• Author(s): R F CONNER; C R HUFF
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 263 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Edna McConnell Clark Foundation
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: CONTEMPORARY EVALUATION RESEARCH

Annotation

THIS EVALUATION OF A NATIONWIDE CORRECTIONAL PROJECT CALLED BASICS (BAR ASSOCIATION SUPPORT TO IMPROVE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES) DESCRIBES THE DESIGN AND OUTCOME OF VARIOUS BASICS FUNDED REFORM PROGRAMS.

Abstract

BASICS HAD TWO OBJECTIVES: CORRECTIONAL REFORM AND BAR ACTIVATION. WITH A TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY $2 MILLION, SUPPLEMENTED WITH ABOUT $3 MILLION IN MATCHING GRANT FUNDS, BASICS FUNDED A LARGE NUMBER OF LOCAL AND STATE BAR ASSOCIATIONS, AND SUPPORTED A SMALLER SUBSET OF THESE ASSOCIATIONS, TO AID CORRECTIONAL REFORM EFFORTS. THE PROGRAM OPERATED FROM 1974 TO 1978. THE EIGHT CATEGORIES SPECIFIED FOR THE PLANNING/STUDY GRANT STAGE INCLUDED (1) COMPREHENSIVE CORRECTIONAL CODE REFORM OR CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM RESTRUCTURING, (2) OFFENDER LEGAL SERVICES, (3) IMPROVED GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES, (4) IMPROVED JAIL FACILITIES AND SERVICES, (5) PRETRIAL DIVERSION PROGRAMS, (6) ALTERNATIVES TO CONFINEMENT, (7) REMOVING OFFENDER CIVIL DISABILITIES AND EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONS, AND (8) OTHER PROJECTS. A TOTAL OF 77 BAR ASSOCIATIONS WERE AWARDED 80 PLANNING/STUDY GRANTS. IN THE SECOND PHASE, 20 OF THESE ASSOCIATIONS WERE AWARDED ACTION GRANTS. THE ACTION PHASE EVALUATION CONCENTRATED ON FOUR PARTICULAR PROJECTS FOR INTENSIVE OUTCOME EVALUATION. THESE PROJECTS WERE SELECTED BECAUSE OF THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEIR REFORM, IF PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL, COULD BE INSTITUTED BY OTHER BAR ASSOCIATIONS. THE PROJECTS WERE (1) A PRISON LEGAL SERVICES AND PARALEGAL TRAINING PROJECT IN MICHIGAN, (2) A JAIL SERVICES COORDINATION PROJECT IN MARYLAND, (3) A CITIZEN DISPUTE SETTLEMENT PROGRAM IN FLORIDA, AND (4) AN OFFENDER VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROJECT ALSO IN MARYLAND. DETAILED EVALUATION FINDINGS ARE PRESENTED. MANY CONSTRAINTS--INADEQUATE PLANNING AND CONSULTATION, INADEQUATE STAFFING, AND SPECIALIZED PROJECT FOCUS--OPERATED TO REDUCE THE PROJECTS' IMPACT ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. HOWEVER, BASICS PROJECTS FOCUSING ON PROBLEMS WITH WHICH ATTORNEYS ARE VERY FAMILIAR AND PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED TO HANDLE ACHIEVED GREATEST SUCCESS. DISCUSSION ALSO FOCUSES ON THE SELECTION OF AN APPROPRIATE STRATEGY TO REFORM CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONS AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF EVALUATIVE RESEARCH. THE BOOK CONTAINS 17 APPENDIXES WITH INFORMATION ON THE 4 PROJECTS EVALUATED AND A LIST OF REFERENCES. (PRG)