NEW YORK - VOCATIONAL EDUCATION GRANT - FINAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 63936
• Author(s): E A LORD
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 38 pages
• Grant Number(s): DCJS-1861
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: New York State Dept of Correctional Services
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DUE TO A LEAA VOCATIONAL GRANT FROM 1975 THROUGH EARLY 1979, NEW YORK CORRECTIONAL VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS WERE ABLE TO INSTALL NEW EQUIPMENT, COMPLETE BUILDING RENOVATIONS, AND INITIATE NEW PROGRAMS.

Abstract

MAJOR PROBLEMS OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS IN NEW YORK STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES PRIOR TO THE GRANT INCLUDED OUTMODED EQUIPMENT, LIMITED SHOP SUPPLIES, LACK OF UP-TO-DATE CURRICULA, ISOLATION OF INSTRUCTORS, LACK OF APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION, LACK OF STANDARDIZED REPORTING SYSTEMS, AND POOR PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. FROM 1975 TO EARLY 1979, APPROXIMATELY $3,000,000 WAS SPENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF MODERN EQUIPMENT. A VOCATIONAL EQUIPMENT ADVISOR POSITION WAS ESTABLISHED TO OVERSEE AND COORDINATE EQUIPMENT PURCHASES ACROSS FACILITIES AND PINPOINT REQUIRED RENOVATIONS TO ENSURE THE OPERATION OF THIS NEW EQUIPMENT. NUMEROUS PHYSICAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO SPACE, POWER, AND SITE PREPARATION HAD TO BE SOLVED BEFORE MODERNIZATION OF VOCATIONAL PROGRAM FACILITIES COULD BE COMPLETED. DURING THE GRANT PERIOD, THE NUMBER OF VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS INCREASED FROM 112 TO 188. FURTHER, WITH EXPANSION OF NEARLY ALL PROGRAMS TO ACCEPT AN ENROLLMENT OF 15 INMATES PER HALF DAY SESSION, THE CAPACITY OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS ROSE FROM APPROXIMATELY 2,000 INMATES TO NEARLY 6,000 INMATES. ALSO, EDUCATIONAL COUNSELING WAS ESTABLISHED AT 15 MAJOR FACILITIES BY 23 CERTIFIED COUNSELORS. AN AUDIOVISUAL TRAINING PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED. OF THE 20 INMATES WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE ENTIRE PROGRAM, 14 ARE WORKING IN THE SUBJECT FIELD. IN ADDITION, 500 STAFF AND INMATES HAVE RECEIVED INSERVICE TRAINING IN THE USE OF BLACK-AND-WHITE CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION IN SATELLITE PROGRAMS WITHIN 16 CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. THREE REGIONAL SUPERVISOR POSITIONS WERE ESTABLISHED TO DIRECT THE UPGRADING OF VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS. STANDARDIZED CURRICULA, CALLED EMPLOYABILITY PROFILES, WERE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED IN 28 TRADE AREAS, WITH INSTRUCTOR GUIDES COMPLETED FOR 7 OF THESE. JOB CLASSIFICATIONS DETAILING SKILLS REQUIRED FOR INDUSTRY JOBS ARE BEING DEVELOPED SO THAT VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS WILL MATCH THESE REQUIREMENTS. EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM REVEALED THAT THE LARGEST GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO HAD COMPLETED TASKS READ AT A FIFTH-TO EIGHTH-GRADE LEVEL; READING LEVEL APPEARED TO HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON THE NUMBER OF TASKS COMPLETED. TABLES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)