CALIFORNIA - DEPARTMENT OF THE YOUTH AUTHORITY - READING AND RECIDIVISM

• NCJ Number: 28097
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1971
• Length: 0 pages
• Corporate Author: California Dept of the Youth Authority
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A STUDY CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE IF, WITHIN A POPULATION OF ALMOST ONE THOUSAND ACADEMICALLY DEFICIENT WARDS, ACHIEVEMENT OF LARGE READING SKILL GAINS OR PARTICIPATION IN REMEDIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS WOULD LOWER RECIDIVISM.

Abstract

RECIDIVISM STATUS WAS DETERMINED AFTER THREE AND FIFTEEN MONTHS OF PAROLE. READING SKILL GAIN WAS FOUND NOT TO BE RELATED TO RECIDIVISM AT EITHER OF THESE INTERVALS. NOR WAS PARTICIPATION IN A REMEDIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM FOUND TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO RECIDIVISM. READING ABILITY WAS FOUND TO BE RELATED TO THE TIME AT WHICH A PAROLEE IS MOST LIKELY TO RECIDIVATE; THOSE WITH LOW READING ABILITY WERE MORE LIKELY TO RECIDIVATE WITHIN THREE MONTHS, WHILE THOSE WITH HIGHER READING ABILITY WERE MORE LIKELY TO RECIDIVATE DURING THE FOURTH THROUGH FIFTEENTH MONTHS. AGE AND RACE WERE FOUND TO HAVE ONLY A NEGLIGIBLE EFFECT ON THESE RELATIONSHIPS. THE REPORT RECOMMENDS THAT REMEDIAL PROGRAMS BE CONTINUED, WITH EVALUATION BEING BASED ON EDUCATIONAL GAINS RATHER THAN EFFECTS ON RECIDIVISM RATES.