NCJ Number
71071
Journal
Evaluation Review Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: (June 1980) Pages: 323-338
Date Published
1980
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study of the effectiveness of volunteer assistance to parolees found that the postprogram recidivism of white offenders is reduced following participation but that the recidivism of black offenders is increased.
Abstract
The man-to-man (m-2) program matches volunteers on a one-to-one basis with inmates and ex-inmates of Ohio's adult correctional institutions and operates on the principle of helping through friendship. The study used an ex-post-facto design entailing construction of an experimental (matched) group and two comparison groups (nonmatched and random). The experimental group included a randomly selected sample of 107 ex-offenders matched with volunteers and paroled from a State correctional institution. Members of the nonmatched group were 120 ex-offenders who met the 'estrangement' criterion of the m-2 target population. The outcome variable for the study was a criminal behavior scale in two versions: the severity index, a continuous scale based upon severity of offense as prescribed by the Ohio revised code, and a simple dichotomy of no crime/crime on parole. Comparisons were made on the basis of age, race, and other demographic variables, and on months of incarceration and prior criminal justice record. The chi-square statistic was used to examine the distribution of the groups for comparability. Analysis showed, among other things, that the m-2 match has a positive effect on white offenders but a negative effect on nonwhite offenders. However, future controlled research addressing the match relationship must be encouraged. Tables of study data, footnotes, and 12 references are provided. (Author abstract modified)