NCJ Number
64848
Date Published
1977
Length
140 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE 1977 MID-YEAR EVALUATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION IN A CORRECTIVE ENVIRONMENT (CERCE) PROGRAM AT THE MEMPHIS, TENN., CORRECTIONAL CENTER.
Abstract
FUNDED BY LEAA, CERCE AIMED TO USE A UNIT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (UMS) WHICH WOULD DECENTRALIZE THE PRISON INTO SELF-ADMINISTERED UNITS, PROVIDE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF INMATES, INDUCE POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL CHANGE IN INMATES, AND PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL CURRICULA TO IMPROVE INMATES' SKILLS. GOALS OF THE EVALUATION WERE TO EXAMINE THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT OF A STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, CONCENTRATING ON QUANTITATIVE INDEXES OF PROGRAM FUNCTIONING. THE STUDY CONSIDERED INMATE DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES, PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, DIAGNOSTICS, BEHAVIORAL INDEXES AND TRENDS, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, ENVIRONMENTAL PERCEPTIONS, AND ATTRITION RATES. FINDINGS INDICATED THAT THE MAJORITY OF PROGRAM GOALS WERE MET. GENERAL HIRING GOALS WERE MET FOR PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, BUT RECEPTION GOALS WERE ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEHIND SCHEDULE. AMONG DEFICIENCIES WERE LACK OF ONGOING GENERAL STAFF TRAINING AND LACK OF DATA ON EDUCATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION. USING A DIAGNOSTIC COMPOSITE PROFILE, RESEARCHERS ANALYZED TEST AND RETEST DATA TO SHOW POSITIVE SHIFTS IN INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT AND EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT. BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS INDICATED A POSITIVE LEARNING CURVE AND THE ACQUISITION OF FUNCTIONAL, APPROPRIATE BEHAVIORS. THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY SHOWED A POSITIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE PROGRAM BY BOTH RESIDENTS AND STAFF. ATTRITION DATA INDICATED RATES CHARACTERISTIC OF TENNESSEE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT PROGRAM GOALS BE MORE CLEARLY SPECIFIED, CONTROL GROUP DATA BE OBTAINED, BEHAVIORS BE OPERATIONALLY DEFINED, AND ADDITIONAL MEASURES, RECORDKEEPING, AND EVALUATION METHODS BE USED. CHARTS, FIGURES, TABLES, A REFERENCE LIST, AND APPENDIXES PRESENTING STUDY INSTRUMENTS, STUDY DATA, AND EVALUATION METHODOLOGY, ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)