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PRELIMINARY RESULTS FROM A COMMUNITY RELEASE CENTRE

NCJ Number
58638
Journal
Canadian Journal of Criminology Volume: 21 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY 1979) Pages: 340-345
Author(s)
D L MCIVOR; B HORNER; R BOITTIAUX
Date Published
1979
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY OF A CANADIAN CORRECTIONS COMMUNITY RELEASE CENTER (CRC) DEMONSTRATES, WITHOUT SOPHISTICATED METHODOLOGY, WHY SOME INMATES FAIL WHILE OTHERS SUCCEED, DRAWING CONCLUSIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SIMILAR CENTERS.
Abstract
THE 1-YEAR STUDY OF A WINNIPEG (MANITOBA) CRC PROVIDED SOME BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESIDENTS WHO PASSED THROUGH THE FACILITY. RESEARCHERS HOPED THEIR EFFORTS WOULD SPUR THE MANITOBA MINISTRY OF CORRECTIVE AND REHABILITATION SERVICES TO INITIATE LARGE-SCALE INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND INVOLVE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF CRS. THE WINNIPEG STUDY LOOKED AT 211 RESIDENTS FOR 12 MONTHS. THE INMATES WERE COMPRISED OF 2 GROUPS: (1) 123 DAY PAROLEES (D.P.'S), AND 88 TEMPORARY ABSENTEES (T.A.'S). THE STUDY SHOWED NO CORRELATION BETWEEN AGE GROUPS, EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUNDS, GEOGRAPHICAL DISTINCTIONS, TYPES OF OFFENSES, MARTIAL STATUS, AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF REHABILITATION. STATISTICS DEMONSTRATE THAT 144 RESIDENTS (68.25 PERCENT) WERE REHABILITATED WHILE 67 RESIDENTS (31.75 PERCENT) WERE NOT. T.A. RESIDENTS PROVED SOMEWHAT MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN D.P.'S. OF THE 14 INMATES GIVEN A CHANCE TO REPEAT THE PROGRAM, OVER 85 PERCENT, PRIMARILY D.P.'S, FAILED AGAIN. RESIDENTS WITH DRUG OR ALCOHOL PROBLEMS WERE LIKELY TO SUCCEED, WHILE RESIDENTS WITH PRIOR ESCAPE RECORDS FAILED REPEATEDLY. INMATES EITHER MARRIED OR INVOLVED IN COMMON-LAW RELATIONSHIPS WERE MORE LIKELY TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROGRAM THAN SINGLE INMATES, SUGGESTING THE NEED FOR MORE STUDIES ON THE IMPACT OF RELATIONSHIPS AND REHABILITATION. ADMITTING THE STATISTICAL SOFTNESS OF THE DATA, RESEARCHERS REACHED SEVERAL CONCLUSIONS: (1) NO MATTER WHO IS SENT TO A CRC, APPROXIMATELY 70 PERCENT SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM WHILE 30 PERCENT MUST BE RETURNED TO THEIR MAIN INSTITUTION; (2) THOSE WHO FAIL ONCE ARE LIKELY TO FAIL AGAIN; (3) INMATES WITH AN ESCAPE RECORD ARE ESPECIALLY POOR RISKS FOR CRC PROGRAM; (4) FIRST-TIME OFFENDERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROGRAM; (5) THE IMPACT OF COMMON-LAW AND MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS HAS BEEN UNDERESTIMATED; (6) UNSTABLE WORK RECORDS SUGGEST CAUTION IN PREDICTING CRC SUCCESS; AND (7) WHILE ALCOHOL AND DRUG USERS ARE AS ABOUT SUCCESSFUL AS ABSTAINERS, INMATES DEPENDENT ON DRUGS ARE LESS LIKELY TO SUCCEED IN CRC PROGRAMS. FURTHER STUDIES USING THE METHODOLOGY ARE CALLED FOR. FOOTNOTES, CHARTS, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWM)