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,…

Because of significant recent budget cuts across the U.S., various correctional services have been targeted for possible elimination (Polson, 2002). Correctional recreation (CR) often appears to be viewed by policy makers, correctional administrators and staff as an offender privilege or perhaps even a luxury, and such programs frequently struggle…

The need for English as a Second Language (ESL) programs is growing in many correctional populations. Little information for correctional educators regarding effective practices for non-native speakers of English is available. Although concerns that exist for the mainstream correctional education population are similar to those for ESL students,…

Purpose: This paper aims to contribute to growing efforts to "contextualise" young people's experiences of sexual and intimate relationships in research and sex and relationships education (SRE). The study reports on which explored factors young people identified as influencing their relationships--in the past, present and future.…

Obesity and its related health problems in people with intellectual disabilities were examined, focusing on differences related to their place of residence. The prevalence of obesity was higher in older women living in community group homes than in the same age group of women living in institutes or among the general population. Hyperglycemia,…

Background: There is frequently great concern about the dangerousness of deinstitutionalized men with intellectual disabilities who have been institutionalized because they are considered to be at high risk for the commission of serious antisocial acts or sexual offending. Unfortunately, there is little information on whether changes in the…

We solicited offender-generated exchange rates between prison and several noncustodial sanctions from a sample of 588 offenders currently serving community-based punishments. We then regressed these exchange rates on demographic, attitudinal, and correctional experience indicators. Males, Blacks, older offenders, offenders with prison experience,…

While children usually look forward to being reunited with their parents following incarceration, reunification signals yet another stage in a long adjustment process. This article explores the impact of parental incarceration as it relates to future reunification, examines pre- and post-release factors which affect successful reunification, and…

Suicide-related behavior (SRB) is significantly more prevalent among female (40.8%) than among male (28%) inmates, although suicide risk is higher among the latter. When instrumental behavior (IB) is excluded and only suicidal acts (SA) considered, rates for the two groups are more comparable (11.9% and 16%, respectively). Compared with other…

Education acts in this country have been created with the express purpose of preventing students from slipping through the cracks. Unfortunately, legislation has not been successful. By disaggregating the student dropout rate in Texas and juxtaposing this information to the prison influx rate in 2001, a profile of the population entering Texas…

This article reports the findings of a study examining the types of artistic responses and personal interpretations that incarcerated male youths make as they listen and respond to selected pieces of young adult literature. The study utilized qualitative and quantitative methodology to gather information about incarcerated youth and their…

The decision to move a family member with dementia to a nursing home is a difficult experience for caregivers. Complex psychosocial factors are involved and knowledge of predictive factors alone is insufficient. Using grounded theory, this study explores the decision-making process with regards to institutionalization, from the perspective of…

This book of research readings provides clear evidence that adult prisoners and offenders who participate in vocational education and training (VET) during their sentence are less likely to re-offend. A reduction in recidivism represents significant cost savings to the community. The book highlights recent improvements in the delivery of VET for…

This article critically reviews recent studies of adult basic education (ABE), general education development (GED), vocational, and college education programs in prisons. Thirteen studies were collected from various databases across multiple disciplines to examine the types of program evaluations and statistical analysis techniques researchers…

This preliminary needs assessment study conducted at the Kaki Bukit Centre (KBC) Prison School in Singapore provides a systematic examination of what stakeholders perceive as needs to be addressed. Two needs assessment surveys were administered to correctional educators and prison inmates at KBC, respectively. Based on the responses of the…