DOI: 10.3886/icpsr37042.v1
title: Cross-Site Evaluation of the Bureau of Justice Assistance Second Chance Act Adult Offender Reentry Demonstration Programs, United States, 2011-2016
title: Version 1

description: The cross-site evaluation of the Adult Offender Reentry Demonstration Projects (AORDP) was a seven-site study designed to 1) describe the implementation and sustainability of each AORDP project through a process evaluation, 2) determine the per capita program costs of each AORDP project through a cost study, and 3) determine the effectiveness of the programs through a multicomponent outcome study. The seven evaluation sites were located in California, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The objectives of the outcome evaluation were to determine the effects of program participation on recidivism and other outcomes and assess whether program participation increased engagement in services, including substance abuse treatment and mental health services. The outcome evaluation consisted of two components: 1. Cross-site prospective study designed to collect longitudinal survey data with a sample of program participants and appropriate comparison or control subjects to assess the impact of the SCA funding on access to services and reentry outcomes, such as substance use, employment, housing, and health. 2. Site-specific recidivism analyses using administrative data to assess the impact of AORDP program participation on recidivism outcomes for all individuals enrolled in the AORDP programs and a matched comparison group in each site
description: The cross-site evaluation of the Adult Offender Reentry Demonstration Projects (AORDP) was a seven-site study designed to 1) describe the implementation and sustainability of each AORDP project through a process evaluation, 2) determine the per capita program costs of each AORDP project through a cost study, and 3) determine the effectiveness of the programs through a multicomponent outcome study.
description: The prospective study was designed to assess the overall impact of the Adult Offender Reentry Demonstration Projects (AORDP) funding on service receipt and several reentry outcomes. Six grantees were included in the prospective study. (Massachusetts was included in the recidivism study but not the prospective study.) This study component entailed identifying a sample of reentering individuals from each site--individuals who enrolled in the AORDP programs, as well as a matched comparison group (approximately 40 per group in each site)--and pooling data to generalize impact findings to the Second Chance Act (SCA) AORDP population. The premise for this sampling plan was that the target populations for these six sites comprised the SCA AORDP population of interest and results from the interviews would be generalizable to the SCA AORDP population. The treatment group for the recidivism study included all individuals who were ever enrolled in each AORDP program and who were released from incarceration between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2014. This period essentially covers grantees' full, initial funding period. As with the prospective study, an intent-to-treat approach was implemented in the recidivism analyses, such that all individuals who enrolled in the AORDP programs were classified as treatment group members, regardless of the intensity of services they ended up receiving.
description: Individual site admin datasets include variables on offender race and gender, risk level, and whether or not the offender received the AORDP treatment. All but Massachusetts contain recidivism information, such as whether or not and how long after the initial incarceration the offender was rearrested. Some contain more specific information about the type and severity of the crime. The Basline dataset includes survey data on the types of services the respondent has received during their incarceration, their life prior to incarceration including work status and relationships, the crimes committed, their communication with people outside of jail, their mental health, drug and alcohol use, their self-perception, and other variables about their life in jail. The Six Month Follow-Up and Twelve Month Follow-Up datasets include survey data on respondent's lives since their initial incarceration, including recidivism information.
description: Not applicable
description: Response Rates: Baseline: 82.0% of eligible individuals (N=516) 6-Month Follow Up: 60.4% (N=296) 12-Month Follow Up: 62.0% (N=304)
description: Presence of Common Scales: None
description: From fiscal year (FY) 2011 through FY 2016, the AORDP grantees provided comprehensive reentry services to criminal justice system-involved adults who were under state or local custody and about to return to the community. Four sites served individuals releasing from county jail (California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania), and the remaining three (Connecticut, Florida, and Minnesota) targeted those releasing from state prison. Several programs targeted populations with specific programming needs, such as women (California), parole violators (Minnesota), and individuals with co-occurring disorders (New Jersey and Pennsylvania).
description: Datasets: DS0: Study-Level Files DS1: Massachusetts Admin Data DS2: Minnesota Admin Data DS3: New Jersey Admin Data DS4: Pennsylvania Admin Data DS5: California Admin Data DS6: Connecticut Admin Data DS7: Florida Admin Data DS8: Prospective Admin Data DS9: Baseline Data DS10: Six Month Data DS11: Twelve Month Data
description: Criminal justice system-involved adults who were under state or local custody and about to return to the community who were identified for AORDP programs or were selected as comparison subjects in seven states from FY 2011 through FY 2016. Smallest Geographic Unit: State
description: face-to-face interview; web-based surveyThe variable MOST_SERIOUS_REARREST1, found in DS2, DS3, DS5, and DS8, has incorrect value labels listed in the codebooks. The correct labels are: 0=No Re-arrest, 1=Person/Violent Crime, 2=Property Crime, 3=Drug Crime, 4=Public Order OR Other/Unspecified Crime