PROBATION CAMP SCHOOLS AND RECIDIVISM

• NCJ Number: 68652
• Author(s): R D SAAKE
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 266 pages
• Grant Number(s): NI70-030-G-32
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS OF GRADUATES FROM LOCALLY OPERATED JUVENILE PROBATION CAMP SCHOOLS WERE ANALYZED TO DETERMINE IF RECIDIVISM COULD BE PREDICTED, AND THE TIMES AT WHICH NEW OFFENSES WERE COMMITTED WERE STUDIED.

Abstract

PATTERNED ON THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS CAMPS ESTABLISHED BETWEEN 1933 AND 1943, THE CAMP SCHOOL EXPOSES INMATES TO NATURE, TO A CONCENTRATED ACADEMIC PROGRAM, AND TO INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY. A GROUP OF 1,054 GRADUATES FROM 6 INSTITUTIONS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND METROPOLITAN AREA WAS SELECTED. THE SUBJECTS WERE MALES BETWEEN THE AGES OF 12.0 AND 19.3 WHO HAD BEEN COMMITTED FOR OFFENSES RANGING FROM BEYOND PARENTAL CONTROL TO HOMICIDE AND WHO GRADUATED BETWEEN 1966 AND 1969. THE STUDY RECORDED 25 SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS (BIRTHPLACE, HEIGHT, AGE, RACE, COMMITMENT OFFENSE, ETC.) FOR EACH SUBJECT; REVIEWED LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CORRECTIONAL RECORDS FOR A PERIOD OF 18 MONTHS FOR EACH SUBJECT FOLLOWING HIS GRADUATION; DIVIDED THE SUBJECTS INTO A COMMUNITY SUCCESS OR A RECIDIVIST GROUP BASED ON CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS DURING THE 18-MONTH FOLLOWUP PERIOD; COMPARED THE 25 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 2 GROUPS IN ORDER TO LOCATE SIGNIFICANT MEAN DIFFERENCES; AND CONSTRUCTED A PREDICTION INSTRUMENT BASED ON DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE 2 GROUPS. RESULTS SHOWED THAT SIX CHARACTERISTICS WERE SHARED BY MOST RECIDIVISTS: SHORT STATURE; LIGHT BODY WEIGHT; POOR PRIOR SCHOOL ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE; POOR CAMP SCHOOL ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE; POOR CAMP SCHOOL DEPORTMENT; AND A COMMITMENT OFFENSE OF AUTO THEFT, ROBBERY, OR GLUE AND PAINT SNIFFING. A VERY HIGH RATE OF RECIDIVISM WAS NOTED DURING THE FIRST 6 MONTHS FOLLOWING CAMP SCHOOL RELEASE. HOWEVER, IF A GRADUATE SURVIVED IN THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT A NEW CONVICTION FOR 1 YEAR, THE CHANCES WERE EXCELLENT THAT HE WOULD REMAIN FREE FROM FURTHER OFFENSES. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDING VALIDATING THE PREDICTION CHARACTERISTICS ON A SECOND POPULATION OF GRADUATES AND PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR HIGH-RISK YOUTHS FOLLOWING RELEASE FOR 6 MONTHS. NUMEROUS TABLES ARE INCLUDED IN THE TEXT AND APPENDIXES. FOOTNOTES AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED.