MASSACHUSETTS - DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION - A FOLLOW-UP EVALUATION OF THE PRE-RELEASE TRAINING EXPERIENCE - TNT (TODAY NOT TOMORROW)

• NCJ Number: 59523
• Author(s): S WITTENBERG; D P LECLAIR
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 20 pages
• Corporate Author: Massachusetts Dept of Correction
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS STUDY DETERMINED THAT PRERELEASE TRAINING EXPERIENCE HAD AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON COMPLETION OF THE PRERELEASE PROGRAM IN MASSACHUSETTS.

Abstract

THE PRERELEASE TRAINING EXPERIENCE SET UP BY THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION IS DESIGNED TO HELP INMATES SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE PRERELEASE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM IS AN ATTEMPT TO EASE THE TRANSITION TO FREEDOM BY ALLOWING THE INMATE TO MAKE SOME OF HIS OWN DECISIONS, TO WORK, OR TO GO TO SCHOOL DURING THE DAY AND RETURN TO THE PRERELEASE FACILITY AT NIGHT. THE 3-WEEK TRAINING EXPERIENCE HELPS PREPARE FOR THIS; IT INCLUDES GROUP DISCUSSION, LECTURES, AND ROLE PLAYING (SUCH AS MOCK JOB INTERVIEWS OR PAROLE BOARD HEARINGS). FIRST EVALUATION OF THE TRAINING EXPERIENCE SHOWED 41.6 PERCENT OF THOSE ENROLLED FAILED TO COMPLETE THE PRERELEASE PROGRAM WHICH FOLLOWED. THOSE WHO DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE TRAINING EXPERIENCE HAD A NONCOMPLETION RATE OF ONLY 16.9 PERCENT. HIGHER RISK INMATES WERE NOT ASSIGNED TO THE TRAINING EXPERIENCE, AND THE TRAINING EXPERIENCE DOES NOT SEEM TO IMPROVE CHANCES FOR COMPLETING THE PRERELEASE PROGRAM. THE SAMPLE FOR THE 1977 STUDY WAS 223 INMATES IN 16 GROUPS OF 3 WEEKS EACH. THE BASE EXPECTANCY SAMPLE WAS DRAWN FROM 1975 AND 1976 FILES OF PRERELEASE RESIDENTS AND USED AS A CONTROL. DATA WERE COLLECTED ON SUCH VARIABLES AS SOCIAL BACKGROUND, CRIMINAL HISTORY, PRESENT OFFENSE, AS WELL AS INFORMATION DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE TODAY NOT TOMORROW PROGRAM (TNT) EXPERIENCE. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ACTUAL AND EXPECTED RATE OF COMPLETION WAS SIGNIFICANT, THOUGH THE SUCCESS VARIED AT DIFFERENT PARTICIPATING PRERELEASE CENTERS. THE REASONS FOR THE DIFFERENCE ARE UNCLEAR. THE PROBLEM MAY BE WITH THE SELECTION PROCESS RATHER THAN WITH THE ACTUAL PROGRAM EXPERIENCE, OR IT MAY BE THAT THE LABELING OF INDIVIDUALS SELECTED FOR THE TNT EXPERIENCE IS THEN TRANSLATED INTO A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY. THE FACT THAT THE EXPERIENCE IS NEITHER A PRISON NOR A PRERELEASE ENVIRONMENT MAKES THE ADJUSTMENT TOO DIFFICULT. STATISTICAL TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RFC)