Search results matching tag 'Research'

Need help on a research project regarding inmate's wants and needs in a correctional facility

minimi — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:16:10 GMT

Hello, everyone. I am a second year MBA student. Four of my teammates and I are currently doing a student consultant project for a client who is looking into entering the commissary sector. In addition, we are seeking any opportunity that can help facility administrators to better manage and operate the facilities. At the research stage, we are trying to understand inmate and warden's need and wants to help us better understand the key problem inside the correction facilities. We are very interested in interviewing wardens, correctional facility guards, and administrators. I was wondering if any of you are willing to have a short conversation with us to help us gain more insights and ideas for our project? We are in the Philadelpia area, we can meet in person or phone conference if you are from outside of Philadelphia. Thank you.

multi-jurisdictional jail consolidation

ffiorello — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:53:43 GMT

looking for research or best practices covering consolidation of multiple municipal jail operations...can locate city-county consolidation but none on multi-city cooperatives...?

Can recedivism be reduced to below 10%?

DaveKoch — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:44:27 GMT

Read the article, "Prisoner Recidivism - a genuine solution to an American Epidemic" at: http://web.me.com/davidjkoch/davidjkoch/Daves_Blog/Daves_Blog.html

Guard Killed in the Line of Duty

A. Booden — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:09:07 GMT

I am trying to find out who to contact about a guard the was killed that has not been honored on the Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C. His information is on the Officer Down Memorial Page (www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid+18590). I rode in honor of Herbert O. Parsell in the Police Unity Tour from Chesapeake Va. to Washington D.C. and was dismayed that his name had not been engraved on the wall along with all of the other heros. Please help me by posting any informationt or by forwarding this to any official that might be able to assist me. Thanks, Andrew Booden, Sergeant Norfolk Police Department Norfolk, Va. andrew.booden@norfolk.gov

2008 National Criminal Victimization Survey

CC Pro — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:54:00 GMT

The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) reports violent and property crime rates in 2008 were at or near their lowest levels in over three decades. Violent crimes are categorized as rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. "Property crimes include household burglary, motor vehicle theft, and theft." Personal theft, including pocket picking and purse snatching are also included. The data is in concurrence with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) which also notes the continual downward trend in criminal activities over the same time period.

Validation of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Risk Assessment Instrument

CC Pro — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:18:00 GMT

The use of risk assessment instruments to measure the probability of individuals under community supervision re-offending is standard operational procedure (SOP) for probation and parole agencies across the country. Across the different generations of instruments that have been employed, the basic question still remains: Does this instrument provide the necessary data to formulate proper levels of offender supervision based on risk, and assist in calculating staff workload and deployment.

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections has recently completed a validation of the risk assessment instrument they use. The study was prepared by the Council of State Governments Justice Center. With a sample of over 42,000 offenders under community supervision (probation and parole) between 2001 and 2002, data were examined using the outcome measures of: "(a) a new offense within three years of placement on community supervision; and (b) new violent offense within three years of placement on community supervision." to define recidivism.

Among the findings:

A high percentage of offenders were classified as high risk, which is counter to the goal of risk classification: to differentiate the population by risk and and allocate resources accordingly.
The main reason for the over-classification was the weight given to the assaultive offense factor.
Other factors, besides the weight given to the assaultive risk factor, may have also contributed to the over-classification issue.
The probation and parole population differed significantly on the distribution of the population on most risk factors.
Probationers and parolees classified at the same risk levels had different rates of re-offending with parolees having higher rates of re-offending for the same risk levels.
The Wisconsin Risk instrument (DOC 502) differentiated populations into groups with different rates of committing a new assaultive offense. However, most of the offenders classified at high risk of committing a new offense did not commit a new assaultive offense during the follow-up period.

Included is a Summary of Recommendations by the authors to increase the effectiveness of this instrument. While this study is specific to Wisconsin, it has implications for every agency that uses assessment instruments for assigning risk and resource allocation.

Research Influencing Policy, A Committee

Eileen Conway — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:30:24 GMT

Many thanks to the Oklahoma DOC's great Corrections News and Research blog for leading us to the activities of a National Academies committee highly relevant to followers of corrections research. The Standing Committee on Social Science Evidence for Use is tasked with addressing "how best to strengthen the quality, use, and utility of social science research, and to lay a solid foundation for the continuous improvement in both the conduct of social science research and its applications to policy." As we consider issues surrounding the influence of correctional research on policy and the quality of that research, we should keep an eye on activities of this committee.

New Research on GPS supervision and also the LSI-R

Eileen Conway — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:56:59 GMT

The good folks at the Oklahoma DOC's Evaluation and Analysis unit have been busy providing us with new research reports, including an analysis of the effect of post-release GPS supervision on recidivism. They have also posted a review of the latest research on the use and validity the LSI-R. Many thanks to their Corrections News and Research blog for bringing these reports to our attention.

Standardizing Parole Violation Sanctions

CC Pro — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:04:00 GMT

The economic realities of many state budgets has prompted a renewed examination of how corrections systems do business. One of the areas of concern has been the number of costly and time-consuming parole violation hearings that often result in the re-incarceration of parolees (Table 6). Is there a methodology parole agencies can utilize to address parole violations and the accompanying sanctions in a fairer and more proportionate manner? In an attempt to answer this question, two states (California and Ohio) have employed standardized tools that provide a grid of graduated sanctions to assist in parole violation decision making. Standardizing Parole Violation Sanctions, a National Institute of Justice Journal report highlights both states and the possible implications the use of standardized tools may have on a national basis.

A full report on the impact of Ohio's Progressive Sanction Grid is available here. Information on California's Parole Violation Decision Making Instrument (PVDMI) may be found here.

New Research Reports on Reentry

Eileen Conway — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:07:00 GMT

Followers of the literature on reentry may be interested in a new post on the Correctional Research Roundtable forum regarding three new reports from the Urban Institute's Returning Home study.