STATE-OF-THE-ART OF OFFENDER CLASSIFICATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - FINAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 19958
• Author(s): T G EYNON; W BATES; T BAUMER; W HETZNER; M PFEIFFER-KORNFELD
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 270 pages
• Contract Number(s): J-LEAA-023-74
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: IIT Research Institute
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A STATE-OF-THE-ART SURVEY WHICH TRACES THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF OFFENDER CLASSIFICATION, REVIEWS CLASSIFICATION THEORY AND RESEARCH, AND DISCUSSES ISSUES IN OFFENDER CLASSIFICATION.

Abstract

OFFENDER CLASSIFICATION HAS EVOLVED FROM PURELY CUSTODIAL TO A REHABILITATION ORIENTATION, ALTHOUGH IT IS STILL USED PRIMARILY FOR MANAGEMENT PURPOSES. MOST OFFENDER CLASSIFICATION EFFORTS HAVE OCCURRED IN PRISONS, BUT NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN DIVERSION AND COURT RELATED PROJECTS EXTEND CLASSIFICATION FROM ARREST TO PAROLE RELEASE. MOST OF THE IMPORTANT CLASSIFICATION STUDIES ARE REVIEWED AS ARE THE MAIN OFFENDER TYPOLOGIES. THE MAJOR SOURCES AND PROBLEMS OF DATA USEFUL FOR CLASSIFICATION ARE ANALYZED AND SUGGESTIONS MADE FOR IMPROVEMENT. THE ADDITION OF SOME INMATE REACTIONS TO CLASSIFICATION ADDS A NOTE OF REALITY AND IMPLIES THAT MORE OFFENDER PARTICIPATION WOULD BE HELPFUL. THE MONOGRAPH CONCLUDES THAT ALTHOUGH THERE ARE OPERATIONAL, ETHICAL, LEGAL, RESEARCH, AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS THAT NEED RESOLUTION, CLASSIFICATION IS AN IMPORTANT METHOD FOR RELATING NEEDS TO RESOURCES. UNFORTUNATELY, NO LARGE SCALE LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE, WHICH DOCUMENTS OFFENDER CHARACTERISTICS PREDICTIVE OF SUCCESS IN TREATMENT PROGRAMS. THE AUTHORS STATE THAT THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT SCREENING OFFENDERS FOR CORRECTIONAL ALTERNATIVES MAY NOT CONTINUE TO BE A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM GOAL IN THE FUTURE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)