LOOKING BACK ON BASICS (BAR ASSOCIATION SUPPORT TO IMPROVE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES)

• NCJ Number: 60837
• Author(s): D J LINDEN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 293 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Edna McConnell Clark Foundation
• Corporate Author: American Bar Assoc (Basics)
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATIONS'S EFFORTS IN THE AREA OF CORRECTIONAL REFORM FOCUS ON ITS BASICS PROGRAMS (BAR ASSOCIATION SUPPORT TO IMPROVE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES), WHICH FUNDS STATE AND LOCAL BAR REFORM PROJECTS.

Abstract

IN JULY, 1974, THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION COMMISSION ON CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND SERVICES RECEIVED A GRANT TO FUND THE BASICS PROGRAM, WHICH WAS BASED ON THE HYPOTHESIS THAT LAWYERS, THROUGH THE NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF ESTABLISHED BAR ASSOCIATIONS, ARE UNIQUELY RESPONSIBLE FOR AND SUITED TO SOLVING PROBLEMS OF THE NATION'S JUSTICE SYSTEM. INGREDIENTS OF THE BASICS PROGRAM WERE (1) SELECTION OF A LIMITED NUMBER OF CATEGORIES WITHIN WHICH BAR ASSOCIATIONS COULD DESIGN PROJECTS, (2) DIVISION OF EACH PROJECT INTO A PLANNING PHASE AND AN ACTION PHASE, (3) AWARDING OF FUNDS TO SUPPORT PROJECTS, AND (4) PROVISION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO GRANTEES. TWO GRANT-MAKING ROUNDS WERE STRUCTURED TO ALLOW FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS BASED ON FIRST-ROUND EXPERIENCE. PROGRAM CATEGORIES IN THE FIRST ROUND OF GRANTS WERE COMPREHENSIVE CORRECTIONAL CODE REFORM AND SYSTEM RESTRUCTURING, OFFENDER LEGAL SERVICES, IMPROVED GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES, IMPROVED JAIL FACILITIES AND SERVICES, PRETRIAL DIVERSION PROGRAMS, ALTERNATIVES TO CONFINEMENT, REMOVAL OF OFFENDER CIVIL LIABILITIES AND EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONS, AND OTHER PROJECTS. THE SECOND ROUND OF GRANTS PROVIDED FOR ONLY THREE CATEGORIES--ALTERNATIVES TO CONFINEMENT, IMPROVED GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES, AND OFFENDER LEGAL SERVICES. SUCCESS FOR EACH PROJECT WAS DEFINED AS CREATING A PROGRAM WHERE NONE EXISTED. OF THE 36 ACTION PROJECTS, 16 CONTINUE TO OPERATE WITH OTHER FUNDING, AND MOST PROJECTS HAVE ACHIEVED SOME OR MOST OF THEIR LEGISLATIVE GOALS. IN ADDITION EVIDENCE OF EXPANDED BAR ASSOCIATION PUBLIC SERVICE ACTIVITIES IS EVIDENT IN MANY STATES AND LOCALITIES. THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION IS IN THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING A FUND FOR ONGOING GRANTS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE PROJECTS. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN MATERIALS USED IN THE PROJECT. (RCB)