NCJ Number
59467
Date Published
1977
Length
82 pages
Annotation
IN 1976 OPERATION DARE PLACED 1,168 EX-OFFENDERS IN THE CHICAGO, ILL., AREA IN JOBS. THIS COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR IN FUNDING, THE PROGRAM PROVIDED $5.09 IN DIRECT GAINS AND BENEFITS.
Abstract
OPERATION DARE SERVES A CLIENTELE KNOWN AS LARGELY UNEMPLOYABLE--YOUNG, BLACK, MALE, EX-OFFENDERS WITH LOW EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AND FEW JOB SKILLS. IN 1976 THE MEAN AGE OF CLIENTS WAS 28 WITH AN AVERAGE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF 10.8. THE USUAL CLIENT WAS A NONVETERAN, WITHOUT A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR CAR, AND HAD BEEN CONVICTED OF ARMED ROBBERY, ROBBERY, BURGLARY, POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, OR MURDER. OF THOSE HELPED IN 1976, A TOTAL OF 8.2 PERCENT RETURNED TO PRISON, WELL BELOW BOTH THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND THE 19 PERCENT RECIDIVISM RATE FOR THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. THIS COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS EXAMINED THE RECORDS OF OPERATION DARE, RECORDS OF SIMILAR PROGRAMS, NATIONAL DATA ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF EX-OFFENDERS, UNEMPLOYMENT COSTS, AND OTHER DATA. BENEFITS OF OPERATION DARE INCLUDE REDUCED UNEMPLOYMENT AND WELFARE COSTS, REDUCED CRIMINAL JUSTICE COSTS, REDUCED INDIGENT DEFENSE SERVICE COSTS, REDUCED PROPERTY CRIME, AND TAX AND PRODUCTIVITY GAINS FROM EMPLOYED EX-OFFENDERS. THE PROGRAM HAD AN AVERAGE COST-PER-PLACEMENT OF $586.55 IN 1976 OR $5.09 IN BENEFITS FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT. THE REPORT CONTAINS STATISTICAL TABLES, THE MATHEMATICAL FORMULAS USED TO COMPUTE COSTS AND BENEFITS, LISTS OF DATA SOURCES, AND REFERENCES.