NCJ Number
59185
Date Published
1978
Length
25 pages
Annotation
THIS THRD EVALUATIVE REPORT OF ONTARIO'S GUELPH ABATTOIR PROGRAMME WHICH PROVIDED A MORE REALISTICE WORK EXPERIENCE FOR SELECTED CANADIAN INMATES IS A FOLLOWUP OF PARTICIPANTS' POSTRELEASE SUCCESSES.
Abstract
THE CRITERIA OF 'SUCCESS' INCLUDE EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS, FAMILY STABILITY, FINANCIAL STABILITY, AND LACK OF RECIDIVISM. THE PROGRAM'S LONG-TERM IMPACT FULFILLED MANY OF THE RESEARCH PREDICTIONS. IT DID HAVE A REHABILITATIVE IMPACT, ESPECIALLY ON POSTRELEASE EMPLOYMENT. PREDICTIONS THAT WAGES WOULD PROMOTE FAMILY AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROVED TO BE CORRECT, AND, AS WAS EXPECTED, PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCED HIGHER POSTRELEASE EMPLOYMENT COUPLED WITH SMALLER DEBTS DUE TO ACCUMULATED SAVINGS. THE FOLLOWUP INTERVIEWS ALSO INDICATED THAT PROGRAM INMATES WERE EMPLOYED LONGER, HAD THE LONGEST UNINTERRUPTED EMPLOYMENT, AND MADE BETTER WAGES. NONRECIDIVISTS FROM THE EMPLOYED GROUP WERE PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL IN COMPARISON WITH NONRECIDIVISTS FROM THE NONEMPLOYED GROUP. THE TOTAL FINANCIAL PICTURE WAS BETTER FOR THE PROGRAM'S EMPLOYED EX-OFFENDERS. FEWER HAD TO BORROW MONEY OR DEAL WITH SERIOUS FINANCIAL PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE FOLLOWUP PERIOD. THE GROUP WHO CONTINUED AS ABATTOIR EMPLOYEES WERE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL. THE HIGH RECIDIVISM RATES THAT OCCURRED IN THE FOLLOWUP PERIOD WERE DISAPPOINTING BUT NOT UNEXPECTED, AS REDUCED RECIDIVISM WAS NOT A PRIMARY PROGRAM GOAL. OTHER NEGATIVE FINDINGS INCLUDED THE PROGRAM'S RIGID SELECTION PROCEDURE AND LIMITED TRADE TRAINING, LACK OF DEMAND FOR EXPERIENCED ABATTOIR WORKERS IN THE COMMUNITY, RESENTMENT FROM REGULAR INMATES, AND A HIGH PARTICIPANT TURNOVER RATE. REFERENCES ARE LISTED. FOR FURTHER EVALUATION, SEE NCJ-59183 AND 59184. (MJW)