NCJ Number
59582
Date Published
1976
Length
14 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF 21 COUNTIES IN MINNESOTA BEFORE AND AFTER PASSAGE OF THE MINNESOTA COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS ACT SHOWS THAT THE SENTENCING PRACTICES OF STATE DISTRICT COURTS VARY CONSIDERABLY BUT THAT THE ACT HAS HAD IMPACT.
Abstract
THIS MULTIPLE TIME SERIES EVALUATION DESIGN COLLECTED DATA IN COUNTIES PARTICIPATING THE THE COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS ACT PROGRAMS AND IN CONTROL COUNTIES FOR THE PERIDO JULY 1972 THROUGH JUNE 1976. BECAUSE THE SUBSIDY PROVIDED BY THE ACT IS INTENDED TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL CORRECTIONAL ALTERNATIVES, COUNTIES PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THEIR USE OF THESE LOCAL ALTERNATIVES AND DECREASE THEIR USE OF COMMITMENTS TO STATE INSTITUTIONS. THE ANALYSIS FOUND THAT AMONG THE PARTICIPATING COUNTIES THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE USE OF COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVES SHORTLY AFTER THE ACT WAS IMPLEMENTED WHILE AMONG THE CONTROL COUNTIES THERE WAS NO CHANGE. IN COUNTIES WHICH HAD A HIGH USE OF COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVES BEFORE THE ACT, A CEILING WAS REACHED AND THE INCREASE WAS NOT AS GREAT AS IN COUNTIES WHICH HAD LITTLE PRIOR USE. BECAUSE DATA FOR THE PARTICIPATING COUNTIES WAS DOMINATED BY RAMSEY COUNTY (ST. PAUL) AND FOR CONTROL COUNTIES BY HENNEPIN (MINNEAPOLIS), A SERIES OF ANALYSES WERE CONDUCTED FOR THE SMALLER AREAS. THEY CONFIRMED THE RESULT OF THE TOTAL STUDY AS A WHOLE. CHARTS ILLUSTRATE THE FINDINGS WHILE A DISCUSSION POINTS OUT THE USEFULNESS OF THIS TYPE OF STUDY DESIGN. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)