The effects of aftercare programs on institutional recidivism

✍ Scribed by M. Patrick McNees; Jerry T. Hannah; John F. Schnelle; Katherine M. Bratton

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1977
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 335 KB
• Volume: 5
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0090-4392
• DOI: 10.1002/1520-6629(197704)5:2<128::aid-jcop2290050206>3.0.co;2-8

✦ Synopsis

With increasing numbers of individuals being returned to the community from mental institutions, diverse community mental health center based "aftercare" programs have emerged to potentially meet the needs of these individuals. The degree to which aftercare programs nre effectively prevenb ing reinstitutionaliiation remam as a major unanswered quest,ion. In the present evaluation an attempt was made to analyze the effects on recidivism of beginning formaf sftercare programs in three Tennessee count,ies. A "multiple baseline t e analysis" indicated that no clear reductions in recidivism rates occurr& a result of the aftercare programs. However, a more in-depth analysis in one of the target counties indicated that recidivism rates were substantially lower for individuals who contacted the aftercare program than those who did not, contact the program. Thus, while the results do not suggest overall reductions in recidivism rates, jt is possible that the aftercare programs are not contacting a large enough proportion of the releases to result in significant overall reductions.