NCJ Number
38417
Date Published
1976
Length
94 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT EXAMINES THE TECHNIQUES THAT HAVE BEEN USED TO COMPARE THE RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF VARIOUS KINDS OF SENTENCES IN REDICING OR DISCOURAGING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.
Abstract
IT ALSO DISCUSSES SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS UNDERLYING EVALUATIVE RESEARCH IN PENOLOGY AND SUGGESTS SOME DIRECTIONS IN WHICH FUTURE INTEREST IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SENTENCES MIGHT BE CONCENTRATED. THE RESULTS ARE PRESENTED OF 65 SEPARATE RESEARCH STUDIES ACCORDING TO THE BROAD TYPES OF SENTENCING ALTERNATIVES WITH WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN CONCERNED. STUDIES EXAMINING THE DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF TIME IN CUSTODY, VARIATIONS IN INSTITUTIONAL REGIMES, CUSTODIAL VERSUS NON-CUSTODIAL SENTENCES, AND VARIATIONS IN NON-CUSTODIAL TREATMENT ARE REVIEWED. STUDIES WITH POSITIVE RESULTS ARE OUT-NUMBERED BY THOSE WHICH FAILED TO FIND DIFFERENCES AMONG THE OUTCOMES OF OFFENDERS SENTENCED DIFFERENTIALLY. SOME OF THE METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES WHICH HAVE BEEN RAISED IN CRITICISM OF STUDIES PURPORTING TO SHOW DIFFERENTIAL OUTCOMES - PARTICULARLY ISSUES CONCERNED WITH COMPARABILITY OF SAMPLES AND MEASURES OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE - ARE USED TO EXPLAIN WHY OTHER RESEARCH HAS FAILED TO SHOW ANY DIFFERENCES. A 12-PAGE LIST OF REFERENCES AND AN INDEX ARE INCLUDED.