NCJ Number
38712
Date Published
1976
Length
35 pages
Annotation
THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES ONE-TO-ONE PROBATION COUNSELING SERVICES TO SELECTED STATE FELONS AND INTRASTATE PROBATION REFERRALS USING TRAINED VOLUNTEERS.
Abstract
THE EVALUATION ASSESSES THE PROGRAM'S PROGRESS DURING 1974-75 TOWARD MEETING ITS FIVE STATED GOALS, AS WELL AS ITS OUTCOME EFFECTIVENESS. PROGRAM GOALS WERE A 100 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF CASES, EXPANSION OF SERVICES TO INCLUDE ALL REFERRED MISDEMEANANTS PLACED ON PROBATION, PROVISION OF COUNSELING UNDER THE SAME SYSTEM USED BY THE STATE PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICE, AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS TO 400, AND AN 80 PERCENT IMPROVEMENT IN VOLUNTEER TRAINING. OUTCOME EFFECTIVENESS WAS EVALUATED USING A MODIFIED TIME-SERIES DESIGN AND RELATED CORRELATIONAL ANALYSES. TWO CONTROL GROUPS WERE COMPARED WITH PROBATIONERS ASSIGNED VOLUNTEER COUNSELORS. ONE CONTROL GROUP CONSISTED OF PROBATIONERS ADJUDICATED THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM PRIOR TO THE START OF THE PROJECT AND THE OTHER OF PROBATIONERS PLACED ON PROBATION DURING THE PROJECT, BUT NOT ASSIGNED VOLUNTEER COUNSELORS. EVALUATORS FOUND THAT PROGRAM GOALS RELATING TO RECRUITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS AND PLACEMENT OF PROBATIONERS HAD NOT BEEN MET. TIME-SERIES ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT DURING THE 18-MONTH FOLLOW-UP PERIOD, MORE ARRESTS OCCURRED IN THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP THAN AMONG THE CONTROLS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT PROJECT FIRST OFFENDER'S VOLUNTEER COUNSELING ELEMENT HAD NOT BEEN SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE, AND THAT ITS CONTINUATION MERITED VERY CAREFUL EVALUATION. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT ARE DISCUSSED....ELW