NCJ Number
19180
Date Published
Unknown
Length
32 pages
Annotation
A REPORT ON FIVE EXPERIMENTAL AFTERCARE HOSTELS SET UP IN ENGLAND TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM BY PROVIDING AFTERCARE FOR HOMELESS AND RECIDIVISM-PRONE EX-OFFENDERS AND TO TEST THE FEASIBILITY OF SUCH PROGRAMS.
Abstract
FIVE HOSTELS WERE ESTABLISHED, EACH SERVING THE NEEDS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF EX-OFFENDERS. THESE HOSTELS WERE A MULTI-PURPOSE HOUSE, A BED-SITTER HOSTEL, A HOSTEL FOR ALCOHOLICS, A HOSTEL FOR AGED OFFENDERS, AND A WORK RESTORATION THERAPY HOSTEL. THE OBJECTIVES IN SETTING UP THESE HOSTELS WERE TO LEARN WHAT DIFFICULTIES MUST BE OVERCOME AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, TO DETERMINE THE BEST ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES FOR THE HOSTELS, TO DISCOVER THE MOST APPROPRIATE ROLES FOR THE HOSTEL STAFF, AND TO SEE WHETHER A 'CENTRAL SUPPORTING AUTHORITY' SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ENCOURAGE EXPERIMENTATION AND ASSIST DEVELOPMENT. IT WAS FOUND THAT OF THE FIVE HOSTELS STARTED, TWO PROVED EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL-THE MULTIPURPOSE HOUSE, AND THE HOUSE FOR ALCOHOLICS, WHICH WAS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT A SECOND HOUSE WAS BOUGHT FOR THE SAME PURPOSE. THE THIRD HOUSE, WHICH WAS TO BE RUN AS A BEDSITTER TYPE OF HOSTEL DID NOT ACHIEVE THIS END EXACTLY BECAUSE OF A FAILURE OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PEOPLE CONCERNED. THE FOURTH HOSTEL, DESIGNED FOR AGED OFFENDERS, STARTED UNDER DIFFICULTIES BUT WAS FOUND TO BE IMPROVING. THE LAST TYPE OF HOSTEL, THE WORK RESTORATION THERAPY UNIT, FAILED DUE TO COMMUNITY OPPOSITION. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR A CENTRAL SUPPORTING BODY CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STARTING HOSTELS AND THAT THIS BODY SHOULD WORK IN CLOSEST COOPERATION WITH THE BRITISH HOME OFFICE. IT IS ALSO STATED THAT MONETARY SUPPORT FOR THESE VOLUNTEER PROJECTS SHOULD BE PROVIDED BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)