NCJ Number
153181
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 22 Issue: 6 Dated: (1994) Pages: 503-515
Date Published
1994
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The Kalamazoo (Michigan) Probation Enhancement Program (KPEP) is a nonprofit, county-level facility intended to provide young adults who have been convicted of nonviolent felonies with a highly structured and intensive residential experience.
Abstract
The main emphasis of KPEP is on assisting residents in obtaining and maintaining employment. Four basic components of the program are employment skills classes, a job club, life skills training, and preparation for and eventual completion of the GED. This study analyzes 7-year follow-up data for 156 offenders who were discharged from the KPEP program. In-program success rates were compared with postdischarge recidivism and other outcome measures. Of the 156 offenders, only 32 percent were successfully discharged from KPEP. Fifty-two percent of the participants had records of at least one conviction resulting from violations committed while in KPEP. However, those who did complete the program had lower recidivism rates than those who received unsuccessful discharges. Despite various controls, black offenders were significantly more likely to be rearrested over the 7-year study period than other offenders. 7 tables, 10 notes, and 35 references