NCJ Number
39387
Editor(s)
K M KNAB
Date Published
1976
Length
300 pages
Annotation
THE REPORT DESCRIBES THE PROCESSES, CONCLUSIONS, AND PRODUCTS OF THE NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM PROJECT ANALYZING FURLOUGH PROGRAMS FOR INMATES. INTERVIEWS) TO PROGRAMS IN TEN STATES.
Abstract
FOR THIS STUDY, A FURLOUGH IS DEFINED AS A TEMPORARY, UNSUPERVISED, NONREGULAR RELEASE FROM A CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION. TEMPORARY RELEASE PROGRAMS UTILIZING REGULAR RELEASES AND RETURNS, SUCH AS STUDY RELEASE AND WORK RELEASE, ARE NOT CONSIDERED FURLOUGHS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS STUDY. A FURLOUGH PROGRAM IS DEFINED AS ANY SYSTEMIZED SET OF PROCEDURES FOR EVALUATING AND CONFERRING FURLOUGHS. THE NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES FOR THE EVALUATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESSES, IN THIS CASE FURLOUGH PROGRAMS. THE STUDY'S DATA GATHERING PROCESS CONSISTED OF IMPRESSIONISTIC OBSERVATION WITH PURPOSIVE RATHER THAN RANDOM SAMPLING. RESEARCH SITES WERE CHOSEN SO THAT AS MANY DIFFERENT APPROACHES AS POSSIBLE COULD BE EXAMINED. AN EXTENSIVE LITERATURE SEARCH WAS FOLLOWED BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMATION BASE REGARDING EXISTING PROGRAMS. IN CONSIDERATION OF THE MATERIAL OBTAINED AND OF VARIOUS FACTORS SUCH AS SIZE OF FACILITY, DENSITY OF POPULATION SERVED, AND TYPE OF PROGRAM (INNOVATIVE, NEW TRADITIONAL, OR LONG-TERM WELL-ESTABLISHED PROGRAM), 10 PRIMARY AND 3 SECONDARY SITES WERE CHOSEN FOR STUDY. EACH IS BRIEFLY DESCRIBED ALONG WITH THE REASONS FOR ITS SELECTION. EACH SITE WAS VISITED BY A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS, WHO INTERVIEWED CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL, PAROLE OFFICERS, AND FAMILIES OF FURLOUGHEES. THE DATA GATHERED WAS THEN USED TO DEVELOP FLOW CHARTS, THEORETICAL MODELS, AND A SINGLE SITE EVALUATION DESIGN. THE REPORT DISCUSSES IN DETAIL THE COLLECTION PROCESS, THE INFORMATION NEEDS WHICH WERE IDENTIFIED, AND THE MODEL WHICH WAS DEVELOPED FOR GATHERING THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION. PREVIOUS EVALUATION EFFORTS ARE CRITICALLY EXAMINED, AND CONTEMPORARY PROCEDURAL, EVALUATION, AND LEGAL ISSUES ARE ANALYZED. THE FLOW CHARTS AND PROCEDURAL MODELS WHICH WERE DEVELOPED ARE DIAGRAMED. CRITICAL VARIABLES WHICH MUST BE CONSIDERED IN EVALUATING A FURLOUGH PROGRAM ARE DISCUSSED; THEY ARE PRESENTED IN LOGICAL UNITS OF VARIABLES RELATED TO MEASURING SPECIFIC COSTS OR GOALS OF A PROGRAM. APPENDIXES PROVIDE: COPIES OF THE VARIOUS SURVEY SCHEDULES USED; A SUMMARY OF EACH STATE'S STATUTES CONCERNING INMATE FURLOUGHS; AND THE FLOW CHARTS FOR THE FURLOUGH APPLICATION PROCESS IN EACH STATE STUDIED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (VDA)