NCJ Number
52303
Date Published
1969
Length
2 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ROYAL COURT (MICH.) COMMUNITY-BASED PROBATION PROGRAM ON RECIDIVISM RATES FOR YOUNG MALE MISDEMEANANTS IS ASSESED BY COMPARING IT TO A CONVENTIONAL PROBATION PROGRAM.
Abstract
THE CASES OF 119 ROYAL COURT PROBATIONERS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 17 AND 25 WERE FOLLOWED FOR A 18-MONTH PREPROBATIONARY AND POSTPROBATIONARY PERIOD. A SIMILAR SAMPLE OF 102 MISDEMEANANT CASES APPEARING IN THE CONTROL COURT WERE ALSO MONITORED DURING THIS PERIOD ALONG WITH A CONTROL GROUP OF 87 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. PROBATIONARY TREATMENT AT ROYAL HIGH SCHOOL USUALLY INCLUDED WEEKLY MEETINGS FOR PROBATIONERS DURING WHICH TIME THEY WERE INVOLVED IN INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY, COURT-RELATED ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS AND DRIVER TRAINING, AND VARIOUS MEDICAL, LEGAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND TRAINING SERVICES DIRECTED BY VOLUNTEERS. PROBATION AT THE CONTROL COURT CONSISTED LARGELY OF A BRIEF MONTHLY REPORT CHECKING ON JOB AND RESIDENCE OF PROBATIONERS, SOMETIMES CONDUCTED BY MAIL WITHOUT PERSONAL CONTACT. DATA ON PROBATIONERS WAS COMPARATIVELY ANALYZED, AND PROBATIONERS WERE GIVEN A BATTERY OF TESTS AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF 18-MONTHS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT STUDY FINDING WAS THAT 77.8 PERCENT OF PROBATIONERS ASSIGNED TO THE COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM SHOWED NO RECIDIVIST ACTIVITY DURING THE STUDY PERIOD AND 80 PERCENT WERE EMPLOYED ON A FULL-TIME BASIS AT THE END OF THE STUDY. IN COMPARISON, 56.1 PERCENT OF PROBATIONERS UNDERGOING CONVENTIONAL PROBATION ABSTAINED FROM CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, AND 62 PERCENT WERE EMPLOYED ON A FULL-TIME BASIS AT THE END OF THE STUDY. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN PROBATION INCREASES THE SOCIALIZATION AND DECREASES RECIDIVISM IN YOUNG ADULT MISDEMEANANTS. REFERENCES AND TABULAR STUDY DATA ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)