EVALUATION OF THE SOCIAL, PERSONAL AND COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE PRE-PAROLE PROGRAM

• NCJ Number: 31425
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 60 pages
• Corporate Author: California Dept of the Youth Authority
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE SPACE PROGRAM IS A CO-EDUCATIONAL, COMMUNITY-BASED, 90-DAY, RESIDENTIAL PRE-PAROLE AND INTENSIVE PAROLE PROGRAM FOR YOUNG ADULT OFFENDERS WHO PLAN TO RESIDE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY UPON RELEASE FROM STATE FACILITIES.

Abstract

THIS RESEARCH REPORT IS BASED ON THE FIRST 12 MONTHS OF PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION (OCTOBER 1973 TO NOVEMBER 1974) AND DEALS ONLY WITH THE 90-DAY PRE-PAROLE PHASE. THIS EVALUATION IS BASED ON THE COLLECTION AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF WARD BACKGROUND AND PROGRAM PERFORMANCE DATA AS RELATED TO WARD SELECTION AND OUTCOME IN THE RESIDENTIAL OR PRE-PAROLE PHASE OF THE PROJECT. FIVE PROGRAM GOALS WERE EVALUATED: SHORT-TERM, COMMUNITY-BASED RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FOR YOUTH AUTHORITY WARDS, TEMPORARY DETENTION FOR 30 FEMALE WARDS PER YEAR, THE EXAMINATION OF THREE TYPES OF TREATMENT MODALITIES (REALITY THERAPY, ROLE TRAINING, INDIVIDUAL THERAPY WITH SOCIAL WORKER), INTENSIVE SUPERVISION IN A SEMI-CLOSED SETTING, AND EMPLOYMENT AND/OR TRAINING ASSISTANCE. STUDY RESULTS REVEALED THAT ABOUT 70 PER CENT OF THE FIRST YEAR ADMISSIONS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL PHASE AND WERE PAROLED. PROGRAM SUCCESSES WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE BLACK, FIRST ADMISSIONS TO THE YOUTH AUTHORITY, WARDS WITH BRIEF DELINQUENT HISTORIES, THOSE WITH NO RECORD OF ESCAPES OR RUNAWAYS, AND WARDS TRANSFERRED FROM CERTAIN FACILITIES. SPACE PAROLE AGENTS, WITH CASELOADS COMPARABLE TO THEIR REGULAR STATE COUNTERPARTS, SPENT ALMOST TWICE AS MUCH TIME ON DIRECT CLIENT SERVICES. THE TYPE OF TREATMENT MODALITY USED WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT TO PROGRAM SUCCESS OR FAILURE, AND WARDS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THE PRE-PAROLE PHASE DEMONSTRATED FEW SIGNIFICANT ATTITUDINAL CHANGES. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE THE EXCLUSION OF WARDS WITH HISTORIES OF PRIOR ESCAPES AND/OR RUNAWAYS, EXPOSURE TO ALL THREE TREATMENT MODALITIES FOR WARDS WITH LENGTHY DELINQUENT HISTORIES, AND THE INITIATION OF A 15-MONTH PAROLE FOLLOW-UP STUDY BASED ON TWO YEARS OF SPACE ADMISSIONS AND MATCHING WARDS IN REGULAR PAROLE. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS TABULAR EVALUATION STUDY RESULTS, THE PROGRAM ENTRY APPLICATION, AND A COPY OF THE PAROLE AGENT'S WARD EVALUATION FORM.