CJS - Chapter 11

Rehab Hist: background and basic issues

– Coercion issue– “Fit” issue 2 aspects (who? which prog?)– Evaluation issues (int/ext, short/long term)– “Net widening” issue (vs. “doing nothing”)

– Dropout and relapse issues– The key bigger issue now is “recidivism” (huge flood of released prisoners)

Liberal dilemma – rehab doesn’t work

Conserv dilemma – cost of “get tough” + it doesn’t work either and leads to disaster

CJS - Chapter 11

Types of rehab programs (early to late):

– Probation/Diversion (boot camps, etc.)– Prison programs (job, drug training, etc.)– Reentry programs– Parole (supervised release)

Walker’s discussion – Chap 11

CJS - Chapter 11

What is rehabilitation and what is the principle strategy of rehab?

Planned intervention to help offenders stop getting in trouble - speed up aging out

Supervised reintegration to community

CJS - Chapter 11

Why are community-based programs preferred by rehab proponents?

– Familiar to offender– Closer to the offender’s family– Much cheaper than prison

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How do celebrated cases distort public understanding of rehab?

Failures often highly publicizedSuccesses rarely publicized

Makes problems seem intractable and fault of irresponsible individuals

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Who was Robert Martinson and what is the “nothing works” controversy?

No evidence that expensive programs work

(Note: most evaluations were in-house evals)

*** discuss this ***

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How does the prediction problem relate to rehab programs?

Important!! two issues:

– Who are the good prospects for rehab?– Fitting prospects to the right program.

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Who is Ted Palmer and what are “intermediate punishments”?

“In between” incarceration and rehab

Boot camps, mandatory drug rehab, etc.

Combine punishment and “help” (note: coercion issue!)

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“Diversion” and “net widening”

Diversion - programs instead of jail/prison

“Net Widening” - sending to program rather than “doing nothing”

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Doing nothing allows aging out - which works.

Doing anything else seems to backfire, whether it is prison, intermediate, or rehab. Rehab progslook for best prospects -- often “offenders” who would have been released (doing nothing).

Getting “best prospects” into rehab means doing something instead of nothing, so this replaces an approach that works with approach that doesn’t!

CJS - Chapter 11

What does W conclude about diversion?

“Help” is not usually helpful

Offenders regard it as harassmentOutcome is failure and net widening

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What is probation and what purposes does it serve?

Most common sentence (most crimes petty)“Supervision” in community, not jail/prisonMuch cheaper than jail/prison

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Outcomes (recidivism) no better than prison or doing nothing

Supervision and “Services” are seen as harassment, obstacle to achieving normal life

Doing nothing re petty crime is cheaper and works better, but we are not going to do it, so probation is the “practical” choice.

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What does W conclude about probation?

Doing nothing works and is cheaper but is not an option politically

Prison is an expensive disaster

Probation will continue to be widely used.

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What is IPS - does it reduce recidivism?

IPS means more “doing something”Seen as harassment, an obstacleCase loads too high to really help

Doesn’t work - doesn’t decrease recidivism

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Home Confinement & Electronic Monitoring - do they reduce recidivism?

Don’t reduce recidivismNet widening problem again

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Boot camps - do they reduce recidivism?

Net widening againShort term improvement, long term noBoot camps are very expensive and don’t work

Would aftercare solve the problems??Some evidence

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Why is parole a rehabilitation strategy - does regular parole reduce recidivism?

Parole instead of prison - at end of term

Same basic problems as probation

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What is Intensive Parole Supervision - does it reduce recidivism?

Same problems as Intensive Probation Supervision – seen as harassment,

obstacle to normal life

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How does the prediction problem relate to parole release?

Best prospects for parole – guesswork – and is often unjust (e.g., history of racism)

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Would abolishing parole reduce crime?

Parole is being abolished now and replaced with longer prison terms (“truth in sentencing”)

This doesn’t reduce crime rates and causes various other problems – binge, costs, higher recidivism rates, etc.

CJS - Chapter 11

What is “faith-based treatment” – do these programs reduce recidivism?

Religious programs --no more effective than secular programs

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Offender reentry programs

over 700,000 a year!! 60-70% recidivism rates

Future of rehab? doesn’t look good

CJS - Chapter 11