NCJ Number
76851
Date Published
1981
Length
27 pages
Annotation
A final report on a project to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of delivering intensive services to probationers and parolees, which was undertaken by the Adult Probation Department of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, is presented.
Abstract
Structured as a field experiment, the 3-year project sought to assess client outcomes associated with intensive, moderate, and volunteer supervision. The volunteer component proved unsatisfactory and was discontinued during the second year. The experiment continued with high and moderate risk probation and parole cases being assigned on a random basis to intensive (weekly contact) or moderate level (monthly contact) supervision. Cases could be reclassified to lower levels of supervision after 3 months at the discretion of supervising officers. The assignment of subjects to different levels of supervision proved effective; there were only minimal differences in the aggregate characteristics of persons assigned to intensive and moderate levels of supervision. The project was implemented without major problems. A 9-month followup was then conducted on all 333 cases participating in the assignment phase, with the focus on need reduction and recidivism. A comparison of the two groups revealed no evidence of systematic need reduction associated with increased levels of supervision. Client needs in the areas of employment, housing, medical, family, educational, and psychological assistance remained at approximately the same levels as those found at the beginning of probation. Three measures of recidivism were used: probation/parole status after 9 months, most serious criminal disposition, and arrest status. There was a slight but statistically insignificant tendency for more members of the intensive supervision group to be in good standing after 9 months. Intensive supervision cases also experienced somewhat less serious criminal dispositions than did the moderate supervision group, and rearrests were fewer. It is also concluded that intensive supervision may be an effective program option if exercised with high-need or high-risk cases for relatively short periods of time at the outset of probation. One figure, seven tables, an appendix containing a scoring sheet and definitions, and 18 footnotes are included. (Author abstract modified)