For decades, most states have made a practice of giving citizens returning from prison or jail a small amount of money, called "gate money," to cover the cost of transportation and other immediate needs. Many legislatures have considered increasing the dollar amount of their cash assistance and offering this kind of support more widely.…

Relatively little research has examined the outcomes (either program completion or recidivism) of community service (CS) sentences among adult offenders in the United States, despite the fact that this form of alternative sanction has been employed in the United States for nearly 40 years. What little research exists, primarily from Europe,…

The article briefly reviews the history of deinstitutionalization and supports the development and use of a comprehensive evaluation process to evaluate the human and environmental factors that affect the potential for successful placement of handicapped persons in community-based residential facilities. (JW)

This study evaluated 2,815 adults with developmental disabilities in 328 Illinois intermediate care and skilled nursing facilities. Only 10 percent were determined to be appropriately placed in medical settings; 27 percent were enrolled in day training programs; and many individuals recommended for alternative residential settings had medical and…

A 40-hour education program covering the impact of crime on victims and their families was offered to sentenced offenders in a statewide prison system. Questionnaire responses from 339 males, ranging in age from 21-45 years, were examined. Results indicated that the program increased knowledge of victim rights, facts of victimization, and…

The process called deinstitutionalization, whether of the elderly or mentally disabled, involves complex issues, not the least of which are economic, physical, social, and psychological costs; any attempt to further this process perforce needs a comprehensive, specific plan suited to community needs and to those who are to be served. A workable…

Nonviolent adult repeat offenders between the ages of 18 and 35 face nearly insurmountable obstacles to successful reintegration into dominant culture. Upon release from prison ex-offenders receive an average of $69 from their state department of corrections, or between $100-$500 from the Federal Bureau of Prisons to aid their transition back into…

As an alternative to unnecessary inpatient care of adults with orthopedic disabilities, the Independent Living Project (ILP) placed persons who were institutionalized without need and persons who were living in the community under unsatisfactory circumstances in foster homes. Information is presented on the intake procedures, homefinding…

The Adult Basic Education (ABE) program of the Saginaw (Michigan) Public Schools achieved 8 of its 11 objectives for 1987-88. The program is designed for adults who have less than an eighth grade education, and provides basic and remedial instruction in mathematics and communication skills, as well as Michigan Life Role Competencies (MLRC),…

This two-volume compilation of 21 papers discusses issues stemming from the Welsch versus Likins suit (1974). The suit led to the 1980 Welsch-Noot consent decree requiring the State of Minnesota to reduce the overall population of mentally retarded persons residing in state institutions by nearly one-third over 6 years. The 11 papers in Volume I…