NCJ Number
51663
Date Published
1975
Length
333 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY ASSESSES THE VALUE OF THE OHIO COMMUNITY REINTEGRATION CENTERS PROGRAM AS A VIABLE COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS ALTERNATIVE.
Abstract
THE RESEARCH DESIGN WAS EXPANDED TO EXPLORE THE FOLLOWING SECONDARY AREAS: SOCIOPATHY, OTHER OFFENDER TYPOLOGIES, ORGANIZATION THEORY, AND OFFENDER VALUE SYSTEMS. THE RESEARCH WAS DESIGNED TO BE OF VALUE TO THE FIELD OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND TO THE STUDY OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS IN PARTICULAR, ESPECIALLY THE THEORY OF COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS. THE COMMUNITY REINTEGRATION CENTERS OF OHIO WERE ESTABLISHED FOR PAROLE VIOLATORS, HEAVILY DEPENDENT RESIDENTS OF HALFWAY HOUSES, AND CERTAIN PROBATION VIOLATORS. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM WAS TO OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE TO REINCARCERATION OF CONVICTED FELONS, THEREBY REDUCING THE PRISON-PAROLEPRISON CYCLE AND CONCOMITANTLY REDUCING THE COST OF INSTITUTIONALIZATION IN OHIO. THE STUDY WAS BASED ON THE THEORY THAT SELF-CONCEPT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE MOTIVATION BEHIND LAW-VIOLATING OR LAW-ABIDING BEHAVIOR. SEVERAL RELEVANT HYPOTHESES WERE TESTED. THE PROGRAM WAS ORIENTED TOWARD IMPROVING THE OFFENDER'S SELF-IMAGE AND SOCIAL SKILLS; DECREASING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR; AND IMPROVING POSITIVE FUNCTIONING OF OFFENDERS IN THE COMMUNITY. MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM WERE INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, GUIDED GROUP INTERACTION, AND THE MATURATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM (MAP). EXTENSIVE USE WAS MADE OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THE RESEARCH DESIGN REVOLVED AROUND THE ADMINISTRATION OF VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS TO RESIDENTS UPON THEIR ENTRY INTO THE THREE CENTERS, DEPARTURE FROM THE CENTERS, SIX MONTHS AFTER DEPARTURE, AND TWELVE MONTHS AFTER DEPARTURE. EVALUATIVE INSTRUMENTS INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING: THE ABBREVIATED ROTTER OPINION SURVEY; THE ROKEACH VALUE SURVEY; THE ABBREVIATED COOPERSMITH SELF-CONCEPT TEST; THE QUAY PROFILE; THE LYKKEN ACTIVITY PREFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE; THE CLECKLEY SOCIOPATHY SCALE; AND THE MINNESOTA MULTI-PHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY. COUNSELOR QUESTIONNAIRES, PAROLE OFFICER QUESTIONNAIRES, AND LIKERT PROFILES OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS WERE ALSO USED. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT BY MAINTAINING A COMPARABLE RATE OF REINCARCERATION WITH COMPARISON GROUPS, RECIDIVISM WAS REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY THROUGH USE OF REINTEGRATION CENTERS. IT IS STATED THAT THE PRISON-PAROLE-PRISON CYCLE CAN BE REDUCED BY APPROXIMATELY ONE FULL CYCLE WITH THE CENTERS SERVING AS VIABLE ALTERNATIVES TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION. TABULAR DATA, FIGURES, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND APPENDICES INCLUDING SURVEY INSTRUMENT SAMPLES, ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED-JCP)