IRRELEVANCE OF RECIDIVISM TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATION (FROM SOUTHERN CONFERENCE ON CORRECTIONS - PROCEEDINGS, 1979, BY V FOX - SEE NCJ-59373)

• NCJ Number: 59384
• Author(s): R ROESCH; L FOUTY
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 23 pages
• Corporate Author: Ctr for Professional Development and Public Service; Florida State University
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Conference Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE COMMON USE, MISUSE, AND MISINTERPRETATION OF THE CONCEPT OF 'RECIDIVISM' IS EXPLORED, EMPHASIZING THE IRRELEVANCE OF RECIDIVISM TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATION.

Abstract

LEAA AND OTHER AGENCIES IN EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS, ESTABLISH GUIDELINES SETTING FORTH SPECIAL CONDITIONS AND GRANT MONIES RELATED TO CAPTURING RECIDIVISM DATA. HOWEVER, RECIDIVISM RATES ARE INAPPROPRIATE MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS, AND USE OF SUCH MEASURES RESULTS IN UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. BECAUSE NO STANDARD DEFINITION OF RECIDIVISM EXISTS, EMPIRICALLY VALID AND ACCEPTABLE RECIDIVISM RATES CANNOT BE ESTABLISHED. IN ADDITION, COMPARISONS OF PROGRAMS ACCORDING TO RECIDIVISM RATES ASSUME THAT ALL CRIMINAL JUSTICE FUNCTIONS ARE DESIGNED TO FURTHER A REHABILITATIVE IDEAL. THE CONTINUED USE OF RECIDIVISM DATA ENCOURAGES SUBJECTIVE INTERPRETATION OF STATISTICS, OFTEN OVERSHADOWING THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE EVALUATED PROGRAM. FINALLY, CONTROL GROUPS AGAINST WHICH RECIDIVISM RATES SHOULD BE COMPARED ARE FREQUENTLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ESTABLISH. ALTHOUGH CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES IN QUANTIFIABLE TERMS IS DIFFICULT, THE TENDENCY TO DESCRIBE CRIMINAL JUSTICE GOALS THROUGH USE OF IDEALISTIC MEASURES SUCH AS RECIDIVISM DATA MUST BE OVERCOME. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED (LWM)