CRITICAL ISSUES IN ADULT PROBATION - TECHNICAL ISSUE PAPER ON CASELOAD PREDICTION AND TREATMENT

• NCJ Number: 57669
• Author(s): D M GOTTFREDSON; J O FINCKENAUER; C RAUH
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 323 pages
• Grant Number(s): 77-NI-99-0001
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Ohio State University
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REPORT IS BASED ON A REVIEW OF SELECTED ADULT PROBATION STUDIES CONDUCTED IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1950 THAT DEAL WITH CLIENTS AND CASELOADS, RECIDIVISM, PREDICTION, AND TREATMENT MODALITIES.

Abstract

THE EFFICACY OF PROBATION IS IN CONTROVERSY BECAUSE CONFLICTING CLAIMS ARE MADE THAT PROBATION IS THE CORRECTIONAL FIELD'S BEST HOPE, THAT PROBATION MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, AND THAT PROBATION SHOULD BE ABOLISHED. OF 130 STUDIES OF PROBATION, 104 WERE SELECTED FOR ANALYSIS. WHEN COMPARED WITH PRISONERS, PROBATIONERS TEND TO BE YOUNGER AND TO BE PROPERTY OFFENDERS. SUCCESSFUL PROBATIONERS TEND TO BE EMPLOYED, TO BE MARRIED, TO HAVE FEWER PRIOR ARRESTS THAN UNSUCCESSFUL PROBATIONERS, AND TO BE CONVICTED OF CRIMES OTHER THAN PROPERTY OFFENSES. PARTICIPATION IN ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO BE ASSOCIATED VARIABLY WITH PROBATION SUCCESS. EVIDENCE ON THE EFFECT OF REDUCED PROBATION CASELOAD SIZE IS MIXED. MORE INTENSIVE SUPERVISION MAY RESULT IN MORE TECHNICAL VIOLATIONS BUT FEWER NEW CONVICTIONS. METHODS FOR THE PREDICTION OF PROBATION OUTCOMES ARE AVAILABLE BUT HAVE BEEN MINIMALLY USED. SUCH METHODS MAY BE USEFUL FOR BOTH PLACEMENT DECISIONS AND TREATMENT EVALUATION RESEARCH AND MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A PROBATION MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM. AS THERE IS NO COMMONLY USED AND AGREED UPON DEFINITION OF THE CONCEPT OF RECIDIVISM, THE RESULTS OF 10 STUDIES OF RECIDIVISM ARE NOT COMPARED, HOWEVER, A RECIDIVISM MEASURE CONSIDERED TO BE POTENTIALLY USEFUL IS PROPOSED AS PART OF A NEEDED PROBATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. PROMISING RESULTS FOR TREATMENT REPORTED IN THE LITERATURE INCLUDE GROUP COUNSELING AND THERAPY, CONTRACT PROBATION, THE REDUCTION OF PROBATIONER UNEMPLOYMENT BY VOCATIONAL UPGRADING, METHADONE MAINTENANCE, BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION, AND SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS FOR ALCOHOLIC OFFENDERS. IN MOST AREAS PERTINENT TO PROBATION, THE NECESSARY RESEARCH HAS NOT BEEN CONDUCTED. A PROGRAM IS PROPOSED TO PROVIDE A SYSTEMATIC BASIS OF RELAYING NEEDED INFORMATION TO AID JUDGES, PLANNERS, AND PROBATION MANAGERS IN DECISIONMAKING. PROCEDURES FOLLOWED IN THE SELECTION OF STUDIES FOR REVIEW ARE DETAILED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (DEP)