NCJ Number
239249
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 76 Issue: 1 Dated: June 2012 Pages: 3-13
Date Published
June 2012
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This article presents the results of an evaluation of the implementation of a program in California's Federal Central District that provides pretrial services intended to prevent suicide by defendants arraigned for violating a Federal sex-crime statute.
Abstract
The program, named "Sharper Future," consists of three components: crisis intervention, initial assessment/treatment plan development, and group/individual treatment. The evaluation found that the level of program implementation was high in terms of treatment participation, based on data provided by the program administrators. The program began in 2006 with only two sex-crime defendants; by the end of the review (February 2010), 42 sex-crime defendants were participating in the program. Four groups were meeting regularly. The percentage of defendants attending group sessions regularly ranged from 50 to 70 percent across the months reviewed. A preliminary impact evaluation found that defendant progress in meeting group process, trust, and dysfunction goals in sessions was moderate or higher for the majority of defendants (n=52) in monthly reviews by project staff. Based on a review of monthly treatment reports (MTRs) provided by staff, "No change" in each of the progress goals was the modal response; however, this finding must be viewed in the context of the moderate and higher assessments of defendant progress in these areas in the first month of the evaluation. Available MTR data did not permit determining whether there was significant improvement in the functioning of participants. Due to the small sample size, longer term comparisons in treatment could not be used; such analyses are critical to an assessment of the optimal time in treatment. The data-collection strategy used a mixed- method approach that involved both quantitative and qualitative methods. A profile of sex-crime defendants in California's Central District is provided, along with descriptions of program components. 2 figures, 1 table, and 15 references