NCJ Number
36920
Date Published
1976
Length
73 pages
Annotation
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY M-2 (MATCH-TWO) PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AID AND A ONE-TO-ONE VISITATION PROGRAM BETWEEN COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS AND CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY WARDS.
Abstract
THE BASIC PHILOSOPHY OF THE M-2 PROGRAM IS THAT THE RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED ON A ONE-TO-ONE BASIS BETWEEN A VOLUNTEER AND A WARD WILL BE HELPFUL TO THE WARD DURING HIS INCARCERATION AND AFTERWARDS WHEN HE IS RELEASED ON PAROLE. THE CENTRAL CONCERN WHILE THE WARD IS INCARCERATED IS TO REDUCE THE WARD'S FEELING OF ISOLATION AND LONLINESS. THIS REPORT, FIRST PRESENTS AN OVERVIEW OF VOLUNTEERS IN CORRECTIONS AND A LITERATURE REVIEW ON VOLUNTEERS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. BASIC DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION ON THE M-2 PROJECT IS THEN PROVIDED, INCLUDING VOLUNTEER COMMITMENT, THE PROGRAM CONCEPT, AND THE PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. THE EVALUATION OBJECTIVES AND CRITERIA ARE OUTLINED, AND A REVIEW OF THE METHODOLOGY USED IS PRESENTED. BASICALLY, THE EVALUATION INVESTIGATED THE BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS OF M-2 WARDS AND VOLUNTEERS THAT BEAR SOME RELATIONSHIP TO OUTCOME. THE RELATIVE IMPACT OF THE M-2 PROGRAM WAS ASSESSED BY MEANS OF A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN, BUT EMPHASIS WAS ALSO PLACED ON PROVIDING A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF DIFFERENTIAL IMPACT. THE RESEARCH FINDINGS FOR EACH OF THE EVALUATION OBJECTIVES ARE FINALLY PRESENTED. THE EVALUATION SHOWED THAT THE M-2 PROGRAM FAR EXCEEDED ITS MATCH GOALS. IT ALSO SHOWED THAT M-2 WARDS DID SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER ON PAROLE AT 12 MONTHS PAROLE EXPOSURE THAN DID WARDS IN THE COMPARISON GROUP. IT FOUND THAT THE SUCCESSFUL M-2 VOLUNTEER WAS GENERALLY OVER 30, EMPLOYED, AND HAD BEEN IN THE MILITARY, WHILE THE SUCCESSFUL M-2 WARD WAS ONE WHO WAS A FIRST COMMITMENT, HAD FEWER DELINQUENT CONTACTS, HAD FEWER COMMITMENTS, AND WAS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)