NCJ Number
58581
Date Published
1978
Length
22 pages
Annotation
EVALUATION OF THE INTENSIVE PAROLE SUPERVISION UNIT, AS PREPARED BY THE DELAWARE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING COMMISSION, IS PRESENTED; RECOMMENDED CHANGES IN THE PROGRAM ARE INCLUDED.
Abstract
THE INTENSIVE PAROLE SUPERVISION UNIT WAS FUNDED IN JULY 1977 BY THE GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WITH A SPECIALIZED PAROLE UNIT TO SUPERVISE HIGH RISK PAROLEES BEING RELEASED FROM THE INSTITUTION. THE UNIT WAS DESIGNED TO HAVE A SMALL (MAXIMUM OF 30) CASELOAD TO ENSURE THE COMMUNITY ADEQUATE PROTECTION AND TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE TO OFFENDERS. THIS EVALUATION SOUGHT TO DETERMINE THE DEGREE TO WHICH CERTAIN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WERE ATTAINED. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PROJECT EXPERIENCED A SLOW STARTUP PERIOD; 31 OF THE INITIAL 61 CLIENTS WERE NOT APPROPRIATE REFERRALS SINCE THEY WERE TRANSFERRED FROM ACTIVE PAROLE CASELOADS RATHER THAN COMING FROM AN INSTITUTION, AS WAS SPECIFIED. THE OBJECTIVE OF HAVING FOUR FACE-TO-FACE CONTACTS WITH EACH CLIENT PER MONTH WAS MET IN LESS THAN HALF OF THE CASES. AS OF THIS WRITING, HOWEVER, THE PROJECT APPEARS TO BE OPERATING IN THE MANNER DESIGNED. PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (1) THE PROJECT SHOULD CONTINUE TO ONLY ACCEPT CLIENTS COMING DIRECTLY FROM INSTITUTIONS, (2) THE RECORDKEEPING SYSTEM SHOULD BE IMPROVED TO FACILITATE CLIENT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA; (3) PRIOR EMPLOYMENT AND REARREST RECORDS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN EACH CLIENT'S FILE; (4) THE DIRECTOR SHOULD MAINTAIN RECORDS CONCERNING THE NUMBER, SOURCE, AND DISPOSITION OF EACH REFERRAL; (5) THE GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE SHOULD CONDUCT A FOLLOWUP STUDY OF THIS PROJECT; (6) THE DIRECTOR SHOULD CONSIDER INCLUDING A PROJECT OBJECTIVE OF HAVING AT LEAST 70 PERCENT OF THE CLIENTS EMPLOYED. TABULAR DATA AND AN APPENDIX OF DEFINITIONS ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR MODIFIED ABSTRACT--LWM)