NCJ Number
15629
Date Published
1973
Length
15 pages
Annotation
BRIEF REVIEW OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, AND PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES PROVIDED AND THE LEVEL OF ACCEPTANCE BY COURT, PRISON, AND PROBATION AND PAROLE PERSONNEL.
Abstract
THE DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION CONSISTS OF A BATTERY OF TESTS ADMINISTERED AND INTERPRETED BY THE STAFF OF TWO PSYCHOLOGISTS, AN INTERVIEW WITH A PSYCHIATRIST (FOR MOST CLIENTS) AND A REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF THE TESTING AND THE INTERVIEW. THE STUDY SHOWED ACCEPTANCE OF THE DIAGNOSTIC CENTER BY A LARGE MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO HAD USED THE SERVICES AS WELL AS POSITIVE FEELINGS FROM SOME PERSONNEL WHO HAD NOT USED THE CENTER. MANY OFFICERS WHO MAKE PRE-SENTENCE AND SUPERVISION DECISIONS FELT THE DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION USEFUL AND INFLUENTIAL. AMONG THOSE WHO WERE GENERALLY NEGATIVE, SEVERAL INDICATED THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT COULD BE OF USE IF MORE SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS WERE MADE. THREE OF THE FIVE JUDGES WERE WELL AWARE OF THE CENTER'S FUNCTIONS AND HAD USED THE EVALUATIONS. TOP ADMINISTRATORS OF THE DISTRICT COURT PROBATION AND PAROLE DEPARTMENT WERE VERY FAVORABLE TOWARD THE DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES. THERE WERE STRONG INDICATIONS FROM THE INTERVIEWS FOR EXPANSION OF THE DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES TO THOSE OFFENDERS HELD IN COUNTY JAIL. A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF OF THE PAROLE AND PROBATION OFFICERS INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD REFER MORE CLIENTS TO THE CENTER IN THE FUTURE. THERE WERE VERY FEW EXPRESSED PROCEDURAL DIFFICULTIES AND THE OVERALL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE COUNTY COURT PROBATION, DISTRICT COURT PROBATION AND COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PAROLE REVOLVING AROUND THE COUNTY COURT DIAGNOSTIC CENTER APPEARED TO BE PROCEEDING SMOOTHLY WITH NO OBVIOUS INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)