NCJ Number
153981
Date Published
1995
Length
174 pages
Annotation
Standards contained in this manual, developed by the American Correctional Association, recognize that adult boot camps have become popular in recent years due to prison overcrowding, escalating prison costs, and belief that boot camps reduce recidivism.
Abstract
As of January 1993, 27 adult boot camp programs operated in 27 States, and the program stay of a typical offender averaged 107 days. Almost all boot camp programs included rehabilitation as one of the main goals. Because research indicates that many existing boot camps have been designed and implemented quickly without feasibility studies and written policies and procedures, standards are presented to guide the establishment of boot camp programs for adults. The standards are organized according to five parts: (1) administration and management (general administration, fiscal management, personnel, training and staff development, case records, information systems and research, and citizen involvement and volunteers); (2) physical plant (building and safety codes, facility size and location, facility organization, offender housing, environmental conditions, program and service areas, administrative and staff areas, and security); (3) facility operations (security and control, safety and emergency procedures, rules and discipline, and offender rights); (4) facility services (reception and orientation, classification, food service, sanitation and hygiene, health care, social services, and release); and (5) offender programs (work, academic and vocational education, recreation and activities, mail, telephone, visiting, library services, and religious programs). The accreditation process outlined in the manual provides for public accountability through independent performance verification. Additional information is appended on the standards for adult boot camp programs.