NCJ Number
143294
Date Published
1992
Length
136 pages
Annotation
A 10-percent sample of the 3,814 boys released from Indiana Boys' School (IBS) between July 1984 and June 1989 was tracked to assess recidivism among boys released from IBS and to analyze differences between boys who reoffend following release and those who do not.
Abstract
Data were gathered to prepare a profile based on sociodemographic, offense, and other characteristics of boys released from IBS. Results showed that 71 percent of boys released during the 5-year reporting period were white. Three- quarters of the boys released came from one-parent families and 20 percent had one or more family members incarcerated; only 6 percent had been in foster care prior to commitment. Over one-third had received some form of mental health treatment, while nearly 70 percent had used alcohol or drugs. Many boys suffered from educational deficiencies upon their admission and 96 percent were identified as multiproblem delinquents. All boys were classified for purposes of housing, treatment, and programming. Nearly half were assigned to school full-time, while one-third were given vocational training assignments. Over 40 percent of boys released from IBS were incarcerated again; factors most strongly linked to recidivism included age, delinquency, behavioral classification, and race. Recommendations are made regarding monitoring recidivism, developing a juvenile information system, intensifying postrelease treatment and supervision, and conducting research. 24 tables, 17 figures, 4 notes, 22 references, and 2 appendixes