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Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of a Shock Incarceration and Aftercare Program for Juvenile Offenders

NCJ Number
214687
Journal
Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: July 2006 Pages: 219-233
Author(s)
James B. Wells; Kevin I. Minor; Earl Angel; Kelli D. Stearman
Date Published
July 2006
Length
15 pages
Annotation
In an examination of juvenile shock incarceration programs or boot camp programs and the affects on recidivism, this study compared the recidivism of juveniles who completed a shock incarceration program with an aftercare component with recidivism among a group of juveniles released from more traditional residential placements.
Abstract
The findings of the study demonstrate the importance of combining shock incarceration with quality aftercare. The recidivism findings were mixed. On the negative side, although lower proportions of Kentucky’s Cadet Leadership Education Program (CLEP) group were reconvicted at all three followup periods, the differences were not significantly different at the 8- and 12-month followup periods. However, on the positive side, a significantly lower proportion of shock incarceration graduates than members of the control group had been reconvicted at 4 months, the same time frame during which the former CLEP residents were exposed to systematic aftercare programming in the community. The Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) established the CLEP in 1999 as the only boot camp program in the State for juvenile offenders. A quasi-experimental, matched-groups design was employed to compare the recidivism of CLEP graduates (n = 68) with that of juveniles receiving other residential placements. Tables, figure, notes, and references