NCJ Number
57430
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (FALL 1978) Pages: 7-17
Date Published
1978
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE ARTICLE ASSESSES THE IMPACT OF A BEHAVORIAL MODEL DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THE REHABILITATION OF PRISON INMATES THROUGH PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND EDUCATIONAL TRAINING BY PROFESSIONAL AND TRAINED LAY PERSONNEL.
Abstract
THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (HRD) MODEL WAS DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC CRITICISM THAT PRISON INMATES WERE BEING RELEASED FROM CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS WITH THE SAME MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, AND IN 50 CASES, PHYSICAL DEFECTS THEY WENT IN WITH. THE MODEL HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED IN SEVERAL LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. IN ALL CASES, THE RATE OF INMATE REARREST/RECIDIVISM WAS REDUCED SUBSTANTIALLY (10 PERCENT OVER 2 YEARS COMPARED TO AN AVERAGE OF 50-55 PERCENT). INMATES INVOLVED IN THE HRD PROGRAMS RECORDED GAINS IN EDUCATIONAL GOALS, THEIR ABILITY TO RELATE WITH OTHER PRISONERS, AND LATER, WERE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT AFTER THEIR RELEASE. IT WAS SHOWN FURTHER THAT THESE PRISONERS WERE EARNING A HIGHER WAGE THAN INMATES NOT INVOLVED IN THE HRD PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM DEALS WITH THE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS CONFRONTING THE INMATE. THE OFFENDER IS TAUGHT PHYSICAL FITNESS, HOW TO DEAL WITH PEERS, ADAPTING TO THE PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT HE FIND HIMSELF IN, AND LEARNING A SKILL THAT WILL LEAD TO EMPLOYMENT AFTER RELEASE FROM PRISON. THE HRD PROGRAM IN FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO ADAPT TO THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF PRISONERS. PROPONENTS OF HRD ARE FINDING NEW COMPONENTS TO REDUCE THE RATE OF PRISONER REARREST/RECIDIVISM AND FURTHER DEVELOP SKILLS THAT WILL MATCH PRISONERS TO PARTICULAR JOB REQUIREMENTS AFTER THEIR RELEASE. FIGURES AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (TWM)