NCJ Number
72446
Date Published
1980
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This report examines the characteristics that distinguish program completers from noncompleters for women released from Charlotte House, a project assisting women in their readjustment into the comnmunity in Massachusetts.
Abstract
This is the second component of a three-part evaluation of women released from Charlotte House during 1977 and 1978. The analysis is useful in providing a guide to determine whether or not an individual has a high, medium, or low success/failure probability for completing the Charlotte House program. The total sample of 45 women were divided into program noncompleters and completers. Commitment, background, and criminal history variables were characterized according to a series of splits for the total sample. The split yielding the highest chi square value was chosen. Variables that yielded a statistically significant relationship at the .05 probability level were selected as indicators of differences between the sample. Twelve variables produced statistically significant differences. In rank order of significance, they are time on job of longest duration, age at placement and release, age at first arrest, number of prior incarcerations, time at most skilled position, number of charges for property offenses, number of court appearances, time spent at Charlotte House, age at incarceration, marital status, number of charges for escape offenses, and number of prior incarcerations. The report indicates that the inexperienced woman offender has a high probability of success at Charlotte House. Thus, the criminal justice community may reap further benefits from community programs if it would develop strategies to positively influence the more serious offenders. Tabular data and two references are appended. A few footnotes are included.