Principal Investigator: Susan Turner, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine
Phase 2 – Outcome Evaluation of the CPSRMEvaluation of the Parole Violations Decision-Making Instrument (PVDMI) Pilot
June 14, 2010 by
Principal Investigator: Susan Turner, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO), in conjunction with the Center for Effective Public Policy (CEPP) has developed the Parole Violation Decision Making Instrument (PVDMI). This tool allows parole agents and administrators to consider parolee risk, severity of parole violation and significant stabilizing and destabilizing factors in a parolee’s life in determining the most appropriate sanction response to parole violations. DAPO conducted a 90-day pilot of the PVDMI at four parole units late in November, 2008.
The Center for Evidence-Based Corrections conducted an evaluation of the PVDMI pilot. The evaluation included a qualitative component involving interviews with parole agents and administrators as well as quantitative analysis of data recorded in the PVDMI and from other CDCR data sources
A Renewed Interest in Rehabilitation? Examining Inmate Treatment Characteristics, Program Participation and Institutional Behavior
June 14, 2010 by
Principal Investigator: Susan Turner, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine
Author: Alyssa Whitby Chamberlain
There has been a resurgence of interest in the rehabilitation of offenders, and research has consistently shown that treatment programs can successfully reduce recidivism. While much of the corrections literature has focused on program effectiveness, less attention has been placed on the expansion and delivery of services to incarcerated offenders, and whether the renewed focus on rehabilitation has changed the nature of treatment delivery to inmates. Using data from three time points collected as part of the BJS survey of state inmates, this paper examines the criminogenic needs of offenders and how those needs have changed over time, the role inmate needs play in driving participation in institutional programs, and whether inmates with unmet treatment needs commit a disproportionate number of institutional infractions. A structural equation modeling approach was employed to estimate the relationship between service needs and participation, and the results suggest that inmate needs have changed substantially over the past decade, with the most extensive needs concentrated in a small proportion of inmates. Consequently, correctional institutions are not always been able to match offenders to the appropriate services, which may have a direct impact on institutional safety.
Field Performance of Two-Piece GPS Units for Parolee Monitoring
June 14, 2010 by
Principal Investigator: Susan Turner, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine
Since June 2005, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO) has made increasing use of GPS technology to enhance the supervision of high-risk parolees. As CDCR has deepened its understanding of GPS technology, a number of questions regarding the optimal configuration of the department’s GPS technology package have arisen. Of particular concern to CDCR is the question of whether a two-piece GPS unit has the potential to be more reliable and easier to use than the one-piece units they are currently utilizing.
In order to answer this question, CDCR initiated a 60-day field test of two-piece GPS units to explore their advantages and disadvantages. The Center for Evidence-Based Corrections conducted process and outcome analyses of the field test. This involved interviews with parole agents who were utilizing the two-piece units, as well as their supervisors, and analysis of data provided by the participating vendors on unit performance measures such as battery life and instances of losing GPS signal.
A copy of the report can be found at: Report of the Results of the CDCR Two-Piece GPS System Field Test
A Policy-Oriented Guide to California Juvenile Justice
June 14, 2010 by
Principal Investigator: Jesse Jannetta, M.P.P., University of California, Irvine
The analysis of the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) by the Center for Evidence-Based Corrections serves as a companion piece to “Understanding California Corrections” by Dr. Joan Petersilia (2006). The analysis provides a clear, concise and comprehensive overview of the state’s juvenile correctional system, written for the California policymaker who may not be a juvenile justice specialist, but wishes to make informed decisions regarding juvenile justice policy in California.
Broadly, the analysis focuses on the process by which juveniles are committed to DJJ, the characteristics of youth who come under its supervision, and comparisons between juvenile justice operations in California and in other states. This task was approached as “systems analysis” which specifies the precise role that DJJ plays in California’s overall management of juvenile offenders.
A copy of the report can be found at: The Role of the DJJ in the CA Juvenile Justice System.