NCJ Number
41391
Date Published
1974
Length
13 pages
Annotation
THIS IS A REPORT ON AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY AMONG RELEASED PRISONERS IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, TO DETERMINE WHETHER FINANCIAL AID OR JOB SERVICES OFFERED UPON RELEASE FROM PRISON CAN REDUCE RECIDIVISM WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR.
Abstract
THE STUDY WAS BEGUN IN 1971 AND USED A SAMPLE OF MEN WHO WERE RELEASED FROM A STATE PRISON AND RETURNED TO BALTIMORE. THE STUDY HAD A FOUR-GROUP, RANDOMIZED, DESIGN: THE FIRST GROUP RECEIVED MONEY AND JOB SERVICES; THE SECOND GROUP RECEIVED MONEY ONLY; THE THIRD GROUP RECEIVED ONLY THE JOB SERVICE; AND THE FOURTH GROUP -- THE CONTROL GROUP -- RECEIVED NEITHER SERVICE. FINANCIAL AID, IN THE AMOUNT OF $60 A WEEK, WAS PROVIDED FOR THIRTEEN WEEKS. A SPECIALIZED JOB SERVICE WAS AVAILABLE DURING THEIR FIRST YEAR AFTER RELEASE. A ONE-YEAR FOLLOWUP WAS COMPLETED ON 364 MEN, OUT OF THE TOTAL 432 IN THE STUDY. THE RESULTS SHOW THAT FINANCIAL AID DOES INDEED REDUCE RECIDIVISM, BUT THERE WERE NO EFFECTS ON THE JOB SERVICE. SPECIFICALLY, ON FINANCIAL AID: MEN WHO RECEIVED MONEY WERE LESS LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED FOR CRIMES OF THEFT THAN MEN WHO DID NOT. THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE, HOWEVER, IN CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS (MURDER, RAPE, ASSAULT), UNAUTHORIZED USE OF AN AUTOMOBILE, AND ALL OTHER ARRESTS. WITH RESPECT TO THE JOB SERVICES, THE PROGRAM WAS A FAILURE. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A RELATIVELY SMALL CASE LOAD AND INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICES WERE PROVIDED, THE EMPLOYMENT RATE AMONG THE MEN WHO RECEIVED THE SERVICES WAS NEVER RAISED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...KAP