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ASSESSMENT OF COEDUCATIONAL CORRECTIONS, PHASE 1 REPORT

NCJ Number
44566
Author(s)
J G ROSS; E HEFFERNAN; J R SEVICK; F T JOHNSON
Date Published
1977
Length
96 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE CURRENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CO-CORRECTIONS, DRAWING ON REVIEWS OF THE LITERATURE, A TELEPHONE SURVEY OF CO-CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, IN-DEPTH SITE VISITS, AND INTERVIEWS WITH PRACTITIONERS.
Abstract
THE STUDY SUGGESTS THAT LITTLE FORMAL EVALUATION HAS BEEN DONE, ESPECIALLY AT THE STATE LEVEL, TO SUPPORT OR REFUTE THE NOTION THAT COEDUCATIONAL CORRECTIONS MAY ACHIEVE RESULTS SUCH AS REDUCED INSTITUTIONAL VIOLENCE, AN IMPROVED ATMOSPHERE, AND LOWERED POSTINSTITUTIONAL CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. HOWEVER, INTERVIEWS WITH PERSONNEL OF COEDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS SUGGEST THAT SOME OF THESE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS MAY OCCUR. IN ADDITION, THESE INTERVIEWS INDICATE WIDELY DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS FOR THE USE OF CO-CORRECTIONS AND A WIDE VARIETY OF POLICIES AND PRACTICES GOVERNING THE COED SITUATION. FOR EXAMPLE, THE STUDY NOTES THAT MANY OF THE REASONS FOR INVOLVEMENT IN CO-CORRECTIONS SEEM TO RELATE MORE TO THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF SYSTEM-LEVEL ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES THAN TO THE POTENTIAL POSITIVE EFFECTS OF THE PRESENCE AND INTERACTION OF MALE AND FEMALE INMATES HOUSED IN THE SAME FACILITY. IN ADDITION, THE STUDY SUGGESTS SEVERAL TOPIC AREAS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF GUIDELINES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)