NCJ Number
58637
Journal
Canadian Journal of Criminology Volume: 21 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY 1979) Pages: 310-339
Date Published
1979
Length
30 pages
Annotation
A COMPARISON IS MADE BETWEEN ONTARIO'S TEMPORARY ABSENCE PROGRAMS AS THEY WERE OPERATED IN THE EARLY 1900'S, AND SUCH PROGRAMS AS ESTABLISHED AND OPERATED BETWEEN 1969 AND 1979.
Abstract
THE LANGSTAFF GAOL FARM EXPERIMENT, AN EARLY VERSION OF THE PRESENT EMPLOYMENT TEMPORARY ABSENCE PROGRAM (TAP) IN ONTARIO, COMMENCED IN 1913, INVOLVED PERMITTING INMATES TO WORK FOR NEIGHBORING FARMERS. WAGES WERE USED TO SUPPORT INMATES' NEEDY FAMILIES. A MAJOR FORERUNNER TO THE 1969-79 PROGRAMS, THE PROGRAM WAS REMARKABLE BECAUSE IT WAS OPERATED AT A TIME WHEN COMMUNITY RESOURCES WERE COMPARATIVELY SPARSE AND THE CLIMATE WAS GENERALLY LESS ACCEPTING OF HUMANITARIAN PRACTICES. HOWEVER, IT WAS SEEN THAT PUNISHMENT COULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY PROVISIONS WHICH PERMITTED INMATES TO MAINTAIN THE DIGNITY OF HOLDING A JOB TO SUPPORT THEIR DEPENDENTS RATHER THAN HAVING THEM BECOME PUBLIC CHARGES. ALTHOUGH THE SYSTEM COLLAPSED WITHIN 3 YEARS OF ITS INCEPTION WITH THE TERMINATION OF ITS FOUNDER AND CHIEF, THE PROGRAM WAS REVIVED IN 1969, UNDER SIMILAR JUSTICE, REHABILITATIVE, AND HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES. QUESTIONS AS TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE OLDER AND NEWER PROGRAMS CENTER AROUND THE FOLLOWING: (1) ARE TODAY'S TAP'S ANY MORE UNDERSTOOD OR LESS CHALLENGEABLE AS VIABLE CORRECTIONAL OPTIONS? (2) HAS THE NATURE AND QUALITY OF TAP DECISIONMAKING CRITERIA, SYSTEMS, STRUCTURES, ORGANIZATION AND RESOURCES, KEPT PACE, DEVELOPED SUFFICIENTLY, AND IN REASONABLE CONSONANCE WITH OTHER JUSTICE, CORRECTIONAL, AND COMMUNITY VALUE, KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCE SYSTEMS? AND (3) CAN AND SHOULD IT BE CONCLUDED THAT ONTARIO'S TAP'S ARE, AND OUGHT TO REMAIN, AND BE DEVELOPED WITHIN THE COMPLEX CORRECTIONAL OR COMMUNITY PLANNING, PROGRAMMING, AND RESOURCE OPTIONS? THERE IS MUCH IN COMMON BETWEEN THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TWO PERIODS. HOWEVER, THERE WERE DIFFERENCES IN THE STRUCTURES FOR IMPLEMENTING AND SECURING THESE PURPOSES AND THERE WAS A GREATER CONCENTRATION OF MANPOWER INVOLVED IN DECISIONMAKING AT THE SELECTION, SUPERVISION, AND ENFORCEMENT STAGES WITHIN THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEMS, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND INVOLVING THE COURT, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER SYSTEMS OF THE COMMUNITY, THEN WAS THE CASE IN EARLIER PROGRAMS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY, FOOTNOTES, AND APPENDIXES SUPPLEMENT THE TEXT. (MHP)