Based on a natural experiment, this study evaluated the impact of the length of service delivery on recidivism.
Although aftercare programs have increased in popularity as a means of helping offenders readjust to society, evaluations of their effectiveness vary. This is probably due to the diversity of programs labeled as aftercare and the inability of research to isolate specific program components. The current study used survival analysis techniques with a population of inmates graduating from a motivational boot camp who either received no aftercare, 30 days of aftercare, or 90 days of aftercare (depending on the existing policy on their graduation date). Findings show that those receiving 30 days of aftercare services were indistinguishable in their recidivism from those receiving no aftercare services. The evaluation also found that although those receiving 90 days of aftercare recidivated substantially less than those receiving 0 or 30 days of aftercare, after accounting for sample attrition, these findings also lacked statistical significance. 34 references (publisher abstract modified)