PRE-RELEASE CENTER PROGRAM TEST DESIGN

• NCJ Number: 66869
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 22 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Justice
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program Description (Model)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: TEST DESIGN

Annotation

NILECJ IS SPONSORING A FIELD TEST OF PRERELEASE CENTERS AT A LIMITED NUMBER OF SITES, USING THIS PROGRAM TEST DESIGN AS A BASIS. THE TESTS SHOULD ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PROGRAM STRATEGY IN VARIOUS SETTINGS.

Abstract

THE GOAL OF THE TESTING EFFORT IS TO IDENTIFY AND TEST A SET OF FOUR PROGRAM COMPONENTS FOR COUNTY-BASED, CORRECTIONAL, PRERELEASE CENTERS. A MAJOR CONCERN IS THE REPLICABILITY OF THE COMPONENTS. THE COMPONENTS INCLUDE (1) COMMUNITY-BASED WORK OR EDUCATION RELEASE IN WHICH SENTENCED INMATES ARE RELEASED FOR EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES OPERATED BY THE COUNTY AND LOCATED IN A SEPARATE FACILITY OR UNIT; (2) CLIENT PARTICIPATION, LIMITED TO INMATES WHO HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO SERVE TIME IN PRISONS OR JAILS; (3) COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES, INCLUDING PROGRAM CONTRACTS, TREATMENT SERVICES, AND FINANCIAL PAYMENT BY INMATES; AND (4) SUPERVISION WITH INCREASED FREEDOM BASED ON A GRADUATED RELEASE PROGRAM, PARTICIPANT SUPERVISION, AND WRITTEN RULES AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES. THE PROGRAM TEST DESIGN INCLUDES RANDOM ASSIGNMENT OF ALL SELECTED ELIGIBLE CLIENTS TO EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS, A COMPARISON GROUP COMPOSED OF INMATES NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PROGRAM SERVICES, AND SEPARATE ANALYSES OF THE PERFORMANCES OF JAIL AND PRISON INMATES. THESE EVALUATIONS WILL SEEK TO DETERMINE THE PROGRAMS' IMPACT ON PARTICIPATING CLIENTS AND COMMUNITY, WILL ASSESS THE ECONOMIC UTILITY OF THE PROGRAMS TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND WILL IDENTIFY THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MAJOR COMPONENTS. TO ASSURE THAT THE SELECTED TEST SITES PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMS CONSISTENT WITH THE TEST DESIGN, EACH SELECTED COUNTY CORRECTIONAL AGENCY WILL BE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT OR UPGRADE CERTAIN PROGRAMMATIC ELEMENTS. EACH PARTICIPATING COUNTY AGENCY WILL BE PROVIDED FUNDS TO COVER THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR CURRENTLY OPERATING PRERELEASE PROGRAM INTO ONE WHICH INCLUDES ALL THE PROGRAM TEST DESIGN ELEMENTS. FROM THE GRANT AWARD DATE, AGENCIES WILL BE EXPECTED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT IN 18 MONTHS (3 MONTHS FOR PLANNING AND 12-15 MONTHS FOR IMPLEMENTATION). SITE SELECTION CRITERIA ARE LISTED.