U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Library & Multimedia
 USE OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROBATION - A NATIONAL SYNTHESIS
NCJ Number
              65170

Author(s)
          E W CARLSON, C W ESKRIDGE
Date Published

January 1979
Length
              15 pages
Annotation
              THIS ARTICLE COMPARES AND CONTRASTS PREVIOUS RESEARCH FINDINGS ON USE OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROBATION IN ORDER TO DEVELOP SOME GUIDELINES FOR FUTURE VOLUNTEER EFFORTS.
Abstract
              ALTHOUGH VOLUNTEER-IN-PROBATION (VIP) PROGRAMS WERE RARE FROM 1900 THROUGH UNTIL 1960, RECENT ESTIMATES REPORTS SOME 300,000 VOLUNTEERS NOW SERVING 2,000 JURISDICTIONS AND CONTRIBUTING OVER 20 MILLION HOURS OF SERVICE PER YEAR. THESE PROGRAMS OPERATE ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT CERTAIN TYPES OF PROBATIONERS CAN BE HELPED BY VOLUNTEER SERVICES AND THAT SUCH SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED AT MINIMAL DIRECT COST TO THE TAXPAYER. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS ON SOCIETY CAN BE TESTED BY COMPARING RECIDIVISM RATES AND SOCIAL ATTITUDE SCORES OF PROBATIONERS INVOLVED IN VOLUNTEER PROJECTS WITH THOSE OF PROBATIONERS NOT INVOLVED AND BY EXAMINING SEVERAL COLLATERAL INDICATORS OF IMPACT. A REVIEW OF 38 STUDIES OF VIP PROGRAMS DEFINES THE PRIMARY INDICATORS OF IMPACT AS RECIDIVISM AND SOCIAL ATTITUDES. OF THE STUDIES REVIEWED, 22 WERE CLASSIFIED AS NONEXPERIMENTAL REVIEWS, 7 AS QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL EFFORTS, AND 9 AS EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS. FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT THERE IS NO CLEAR-CUT EVIDENCE THAT VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS ARE ANY MORE OR LESS SUCCESSFUL THAN OTHER PROGRAM ALTERNATIVES. VOLUNTEER PROJECTS, HOWEVER, SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN WITH EXTREME CAUTION, AND OPERATIONS SHOULD FACILITATE PROMPT PROCESSING AND ASSIGNMENT OF APPLICANTS. EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE TO RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS WITH SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE PROBATIONER POPULATION, WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN TO THE FEMALE PROBATIONER. IN ADDITION, PROBATIONERS WHO ARE NOT STRONGLY MOTIVATED TO PARTICIPATE SHOULD BE SCREENED OUT. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AOP)
      
  
          Additional Details
Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored
    
  
  
Date Published: January 1, 1979
    
          Downloads
        
                      *No download available*

Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              NIJ Journal
    
      
            
            
            
      Podcasts
    
      
            
            
            
      Publications Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Multimedia Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Software & Databases
    
      
            
            
            
      Datasets
    
      
            
            
            
      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Probation volunteers
        Probationers attitudes
        Special populations
        Volunteers



  
Similar Publications
        
                      Development of a Guide to Resources on Faith-Based Organizations in Criminal Justice Final Report
                  Volunteers and Paraprofessionals in Parole - Current Practices
                  Issues In VIP (Volunteer-in-probation) Management - A National Synthesis
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov