NCJ Number
53938
Date Published
1977
Length
12 pages
Annotation
RECORDS FROM THE OREGON STATE PENITENTIARY AND OREGON CORRECTIONS INSTITUTE AND INTERVIEWS WITH 64 MEN RELEASED BETWEEN JULY AND DECEMBER 1974 WERE USED TO EVALUATE PRISON TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
Abstract
A 20 PERCENT SAMPLE OF THE 548 FELONS RELEASED FROM THE TWO INSTITUTIONS DURING THE STUDY PERIOD WAS DRAWN. THE REASONS WHY ONLY 64 OF THE MEN WERE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONING ARE REVIEWED. ALTHOUGH THE SAMPLE WAS SMALL, MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS WAS USED TO IDENTIFY THOSE VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH BOTH POSTRELEASE EMPLOYMENT AND LACK OF RECIDIVISM. IT SHOWED THAT THE RESPONDENT'S AGE, ATTAINMENT OF A GENERAL EDUCATION DIPLOMA (GED), AND RELEASE ON PAROLE WERE ALL ASSOCIATED WITH POSTRELEASE EMPLOYMENT. OTHER VARIABLES IN THE MODEL, INCLUDING PARTICIPATION IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING, WERE NOT RELATED. HOWEVER, AGE IN COMBINATION WITH VOCATIONAL TRAINING (AN INTERACTION EFFECT) WAS ASSOCIATED WITH STAYING OUT OF PRISON. TIME SERVED WAS ASSOCIATED NEGATIVELY WITH BOTH RELEASE SUCCESS AND NUMBER OF MONTHS EMPLOYED, AS WELL AS MONTHLY PAY. ATTAINMENT OF A GED CERTIFICATE AND AGE WERE ASSOCIATED POSITIVELY WITH HIGHER MONTHLY PAY. THE GED CERTIFICATE WAS THE ONLY FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH NUMBER OF MONTHS EMPLOYED. THE INTERVIEWS SHOWED THAT THE EX-OFFENDERS DID NOT FIND THE PRISONS' VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO BE RELEVANT TO THE TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT AVAILABLE UPON RELEASE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT BETTER PROCEDURES FOR FOLLOWUP OF INMATES BE INSTITUTED, THAT THIS FOLLOWUP EXAMINE THE RELEVANCE OF VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO POSTRELEASE LIFE, AND THAT VOCATIONAL EDUCATION BE MORE EMPLOYMENT ORIENTED. THE GED PROGRAM SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED BECAUSE IT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES AN OFFENDER'S CHANCES OF EMPLOYMENT. TABLES PRESENT STUDY DATA. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (GLR)