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HOME FURLOUGH PROGRAM EFFECTS ON RATES OF RECIDIVISM

NCJ Number
51274
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 5 Issue: 3 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1978) Pages: 249-258
Author(s)
D P LECLAIR
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HOME FURLOUGH PROGRAM AS A CORRECTIONAL DEVICE, RECIDIVISM RATES ARE ANALYZED FOR 1,939 INMATES. RATES FOR FURLOUGHED INMATES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN FOR OTHER INMATES.
Abstract
FOLLOWING A DESCRIPTION OF THE HOME FURLOUGH PROGRAM IN MASSACHUSETTS CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, RESULTS OF THE STUDY ARE ANALYZED IN DETAIL. A FOLLOWUP OF ALL INDIVIDUALS RELEASED FROM 14 STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS DURING 1973 AND 1974 USED DATA COLLECTED BY THE COMPUTERIZED MASSACHUSETTS CORRECTION AND PAROLE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM. MATHEMATICAL ADJUSTMENTS MADE FOR THE SELECTION FACTORS IN THE FURLOUGH-GRANTING PROCESS ARE DESCRIBED. FOR 1973 THE RECIDIVISM RATE FOR THE 610 INDIVIDUALS IN THE FURLOUGH GROUP WAS 16 PERCENT, SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE 27 PERCENT FOR THE 268 INMATES RELEASED WITHOUT FURLOUGH. IN 1974 THE FIGURES WERE 16 PERCENT FOR 621 FURLOUGHED INMATES VERSUS 31 PERCENT FOR 220 NONFURLOUGHED INMATES. ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT THE REDUCTION IN RECIDIVISM WAS DUE TO THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM AND NOT SIMPLY TO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF INMATES SELECTED FOR FURLOUGH. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT PROGRAMS WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETAL REINTEGRATION CAN BE EFFECTIVE DEVICES FOR REDUCING REPEATED CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (GLR)

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