NCJ Number
40144
Date Published
1976
Length
121 pages
Annotation
ASSESSMENT OF THE GOAL ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PHILADELPHIA OUTREACH CENTERS, WHICH ARE SMALL, COMMUNITY BASED SUB-OFFICES DESIGNED TO BRING PROBATION AND PAROLE SUPERVISION CLOSER TO THE CLIENT TO IMPROVE SUPERVISION.
Abstract
OVERALL, THE INTENT OF THE OUTREACH PROJECT WAS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF PROBATION AND PAROLE SUPERVISION AND CONSEQUENTLY ITS REHABILITATIVE EFFECT, BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM. SPECIFIC GOALS OF THE PROJECT WERE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PROBATION OR PAROLE RETURNS TO PRISON, TO PROVIDE LESS FORMAL AND MORE ACCESSIBLE OFFICES, TO MAINTAIN CASELOADS OF NO MORE THAN 50 CLIENTS PER AGENT, TO MINIMIZE AGENT TRAVEL TIME SO AS TO AFFORD MORE TIME FOR CLIENT SUPERVISION, AND TO MINIMIZE CLIENT TRANSFERS AND AGENT TURNOVER. EVALUATION METHODOLOGIES INCLUDED BOTH CROSS-SECTIONAL AND TIME SERIES REVIEWS OF PROBATION AND PAROLE OUTCOME MEASURES, AND ON-SITE INTERVIEWING OF OUTREACH STAFF. PAROLE OUTCOME MEASURES SELECTED FOR ANALYSIS WERE CLIENT RECIDIVISM, CLIENT ARRESTS, CASELOAD REPORTING STATUS, AND CLIENT EMPLOYMENT. THE FINDINGS INDICATED THAT THE OUTREACH PROGRAM WAS REASONABLY SUCCESSFUL IN ACHIEVING ITS GOALS OF REINTEGRATING OFFENDERS AND DECENTRALIZING PAROLE SUPERVISION SERVICES. IN PARTICULAR RECIDIVISM RATES AND ARREST RATES OF PROJECT CLIENTS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN OF GENERAL CASELOAD CLIENTELE. COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT THE GOALS WERE ACHIEVED WITH SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS....DMC