NCJ Number
866
Date Published
1969
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THIS PAMPHLET BRIEFLY DESCRIBES TWO METHODS OF EVALUATING RECIDIVISM DATA FOR HALFWAY HOUSE PROGRAMS, AND OUTLINES THE PROCEDURES AND RESULTS OF AN EVALUATION OF THE BROOK HOUSE PROGRAM, A HALFWAY HOUSE IN MASSACHUSETTS.
Abstract
IT IS NOTED THAT TWO TYPES OF STUDY DESIGNS ARE USUALLY EMPLOYED IN EVALUATING COMMUNITY BASED CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS. THE FIRST DESIGN SIMPLY COMPARES THE OUTCOME ON SOME CRITERION OF A HALFWAY HOUSE GROUP WITH A CONTROL GROUP OF EX-CONVICTS MATCHED ON RECIDIVISM-RELEVANT CHARACTERISTICS. THE SECOND DESIGN EMPLOYS RECIDIVISM PREDICTION TABLES, CALLED BER TABLES (BASE EXPECTANCY OF RECIDIVISM) TO CALCULATE A PERCENTAGE RISK OF RECIDIVISM FOR INMATES. THE EXPECTED RECIDIVISM RATE OF A PROGRAM CAN THEN BE CALCULATED AND COMPARED TO THE ACTUAL RECIDIVISM RATE AFTER PROGRAM INTERVENTION. THREE PREVIOUS STUDIES WHICH EMPLOYED THESE EVALUATION METHODS ARE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. THE EVALUATION OF THE BROOK HOUSE PROGRAM USING THE BER STUDY METHOD IS THEN DISCUSSED. BROOK HOUSE, OPENED IN 1965, DRAWS ITS POPULATION FROM MASSACHUSETTS CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. IT OFFERS A HIGHLY STRUCTURED PROGRAM BASED ON CONCRETE VOCATIONAL AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT GOALS. THE BER METHOD USED TO EVALUATE THIS PROGRAM SHOWED SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN RECIDIVISM AS A RESULT OF THE PROGRAM. HOWEVER, PROGRAM IMPACT WAS FOUND TO BE GREATEST FOR THOSE WHO STAYED INTERMEDIATE LENGTHS OF TIME, RATHER THAN VERY SHORT OR VERY LONG PERIODS OF TIME.