NCJ Number
85521
Date Published
1981
Length
8 pages
Annotation
The paper examines the purpose, operation, and staffing of community-based correctional centers, with emphasis on the needs of black offenders.
Abstract
These residential treatment centers are a relatively new concept in corrections. They provide new opportunities to reinforce the process of reintegrating the offender into the community. Such centers provide planned access to real situations in which residents can test their skills and measure their expectations against reality. Community acceptance is a critical factor affecting a program's effectiveness. Prison inmates should be involved in the design of treatment programs, since the learning accompanying this involvement may be one of the most meaningful forms of treatment. The physical facility should be centrally located for the target population, as well as easily accessible by public transportation. The use of an independent physical facility symbolizes the goal of weaning black offenders away from a passive role with respect to formal institutions. The physical design should be flexible to permit adaptation to program change. A fully developed community-based system is able to meet a variety of offenders' needs, blends institutional and field programs, applies many community services not now used for offenders, and has enthusiastic citizen participation and understanding. Broad-based acceptance, coordination with other areas of the criminal justice system, an emphasis on personnel selection and training, and evaluation are essential to the successful implementation of a community-based corrections program. The issue of whether these programs are effective should be addressed. In addition, it may be inappropriate to locate programs for black offenders either in the ghetto or in white neighborhoods. Footnotes and six references are included.