Article Synopsis: Correctional Boot Camps: Lessons From a Decade of Research
The report under review dwells upon the research of the effectiveness of correctional boot camps for preventing further crimes. These camps were created to reduce the number of prisoners, to reduce costs for maintaining them, and to prevent recidivism.
The researchers analyzed the behavior of the camps’ inmates. They paid attention to recidivism as well. The researched period was about ten years. All the camps were designed in a different way. This fact caused difficulties in evaluating the effectiveness of the components of training programs applied there.
The research showed that boot camps mainly changed the inmates’ behavior to the better. Nevertheless, the level of recidivism remained almost the same. There were a few exceptions, though. The inmates, who were treated and supervised more intensively during the period of confinement and after it, showed a lower recidivism rate. But in general, boot camps proved to have a little effect on recidivism prevention.
The study detected three main reasons of the camps’ inefficiency. First, boot camps used to be necessary as a way to shorten the terms of imprisonment, but when early releases became widely spread, the need in boot camps disappeared. Then, all the camps differed from one another, which made it difficult to introduce standard training programs. Finally, the camps did not help the inmates to join the community after release.
The majority of camps accepted men only. The few programs which accepted women as well were inappropriate for them. These programs did not take into consideration that many female inmates had children. They also were not designed to treat sexually abused women, female drug users and women who had been unemployed for a long time.
The researchers conclude that the effectiveness of boot camps may be improved. For this, it is necessary to prepare the inmates for re-entering the community, to shorten the terms of imprisonment for camps’ inmates, and to extend the duration of camp programs.
References
Parent, D. G. (2003). Correctional Boot Camps: Lessons From a Decade of Research. Washington, DC: U. S. Department of …
