Growing Use of Jail Boot Camps: The Current State of the Art

• NCJ Number: 143708
• Author(s): J Austin; M Jones; M Bolyard
• Date Published: 1993
• Length: 8 pages
• Grant Number(s): 90-DD-CX-0055
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Research in Brief

Annotation

A national survey was conducted in the spring of 1992 to determine the number and characteristics of jail shock incarceration programs.

Abstract

The 2,200 letters mailed to sheriffs, jail administrators, and State probation departments produced responses from 200. Results revealed that 10 jurisdictions were operating a boot camp, 13 jurisdictions were planning to open a boot camp in 1992 or 1993, and the other 130 jurisdictions reported that they had no immediate plans for a boot camp but were interested in establishing one in the near future. The Los Angeles County program has ceased operation due to unexpected budget constraints. Followup telephone interviews with the 10 current programs revealed that all are administered by local sheriff or county agencies with local funding. Most have begun in the past 2 years. None has received any formal, independent outcome study or cost-effectiveness evaluation. Findings indicated that such programs should establish realistic goals, determine who can benefit from a boot camp, limit the length of stay to 120 days, establish a strong aftercare component, and conduct process evaluations followed by outcome evaluations. Tables and notes