NCJ Number
27765
Date Published
Unknown
Length
13 pages
Annotation
BOULDER BAY, A CORRECTIONAL FOREST CAMP FOR YOUNG MALE FIRST OFFENDERS OPERATED BY THE BRITISH COLUMBIA CORRECTIONS SERVICE, OFFERS AN INMATE PROGRAM BASED ON PHYSICAL CHALLENGE, GROUP INFLUENCE, AND CLEAR INCENTIVE.
Abstract
THE OFFENDER IS REQUIRED TO PROCEED, WITH THE TEN TO TWELVE MEMBER GROUP WITH WHICH HE WAS ADMITTED, THROUGH FOUR ONE-MONTH STAGES INVOLVING INCREASING DEMANDS FOR COOPERATIVE SOCIAL BEHAVIOR, SKILL, AND PHYSICAL COMPETENCE. PAROLE IS GRANTED UPON SUCCESSFUL 'GRADUATION.' THIS REPORT DESCRIBES AN EXPERIMENT WHICH TESTED THE COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS IN TERMS OF RECIDIVISM, OF THE BOULDER BAY PROGRAM AND THE INMATE PROGRAM HANEY CORRECTIONAL CENTRE, A MODERN MEDIUM SECURITY INSTITUTION (CAPACITY 400) DESIGNED FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS AND STRESSING, IN ADDITION TO MAINTENANCE LABOR, VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL COURSES, COUNSELING AND A WIDE RECREATIONAL PROGRAM. PAROLE PROCEDURE WAS CONVENTIONAL AND THE AVERAGE TERM NONE MONTHS. THE 197 SUBJECTS IN THIS EXPERIMENTAL STUDY, 86 CONTROLS AND 111 EXPERIMENTALS, WERE ALL 'FIRST COMMITTALS,' AGE 16 TO 21, IN GOOD PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND NOT SERIOUSLY PSYCHOPATHIC OR CRIMINALLY SOPHISTICATED. EXPERIMENTAL SUBJECTS WERE SENT TO BOULDER BAY; CONTROLS WENT TO HANEY. CLASSIFICATION WAS RANDOM. RECIDIVISM IN THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP AFTER 3 YEARS FOLLOW-UP WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THAT OF THE CONTROLS (51.4 PERCENT TO 69.8 PERCENT), ACCOUNTED FOR ENTIRELY BY THE DIFFERENCE IN MAJOR VIOLATIONS (26.1 PERCENT TO 46.6 PERCENT). SOME OF THE WEAKNESSES OF THE EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM AND OF THE STUDY ARE DISCUSSED. A TWO-PAGE LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)