CONTRACTING FOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY, V 2 - DRAFT FINAL REPORT, DECEMBER 1976

• NCJ Number: 43738
• Author(s): G KASSEBAUM; J SELDIN; P NELLIGAN; D T TAKEUCHI; B WAYSON; G MONKMANSAKURAI M
• Editor(s): M SAKURAI
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 363 pages
• Grant Number(s): 75-N1-99-0118
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM 300 AGENCIES ON THE ROLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN PROVIDING SERVICES TO JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONS AGENCIES, TYPES OF CASES HANDLED BY PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS, PROBLEMS, AND BENEFITS.

Abstract

DATA WERE GATHERED TO GIVE AN INDICATION OF THE PREVALENCE OF COMMUNITY-BASED PRIVATELY FUNDED PROGRAMS AVAILABLE FOR CORRECTIONS USE. IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE IS A SURPRISING DEGREE OF VARIABILITY IN VOLUME, PROGRAM MODALITY, REFERRAL SOURCES, AND FUNDING IN THIS FIELD. IN FACT, EVEN A CORRECTIONS OFFICIAL IN THE AREA MAY NOT BE AWARE OF ALL THE COMMUNITY-BASED ALTERNATIVES. THE TERM 'PRIVATE' IS ALSO A MISNOMER BECAUSE MANY OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED IN LARGE PART BY FEDERAL GRANTS, CONTRACT MONEY, OR WELFARE PAYMENTS. HOWEVER, MATCHING FUNDS FROM PRIVATE SOURCES ARE NOT UNCOMMON. A SURVEY OF 172 SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS FOUND THAT 57 PERCENT ARE RESIDENTIAL ONLY, 22 PERCENT ARE MIXED, AND THE REMAINDER NONRESIDENTIAL. ALTHOUGH THE RATIONALE WAS THAT PRIVATE SOURCES WOULD RELIEVE THE CROWDING OF TRADITIONAL CORRECTION INSTITUTIONS, IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT THEY COEXIST WITH PRISONS AS A SUPPLEMENT, REGARDLESS OF THEIR POTENTIAL AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR SOME OFFENDERS. ALSO, MORE THAN HALF THE CLIENTS SERVED ARE NONOFFENDERS. MAJOR SOURCES OF REFERRAL ARE TO DRUG AND ALCOHOL DIVERSION PROGRAMS, PROBATION PROGRAMS, AND WORK-RELEASE PROGRAMS. LEGAL STATUS OF THESE PROGRAMS IN VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS IS SURVEYED AS ARE THE MULTIPLICITY OF FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS AVAILABLE. MODES OF REFERRAL, TYPES OF CLIENTS SERVED, AND DISPOSITION OF CLIENTS ARE SURVEYED. THE SECTION ON COSTS POINTS OUT THAT ONE OF THE INITIAL HOPES FOR COMMUNITY-BASED FACILITIES WAS A REDUCTION IN INCARCERATION COSTS: THIS HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE. IN FACT, DAILY COSTS OF SUCH PROGRAMS ARE BEGINNING TO APPROACH THOSE OF CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. THE MAJOR CONCLUSION IS THAT SUITABLE MONITORING OF SUCH PROGRAMS IS ESSENTIAL, NOT ONLY TO DETERMINE THEIR SCOPE AND EFFECTIVENESS, BUT TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF CLIENTS REFERRED TO SUCH AGENCIES BY THE COURTS OR CORRECTIONS OFFICIALS.