Goals of halfway houses a. To this end, most programs place a heavy emphasis on addressing offenders' educational and employment deficits. Research clearly suggests that a large number of offenders placed in halfway houses do not successfully complete their programs. Yet, there is little reason to believe that halfway houses are associated with less recidivism than other community corrections programs. Electronic monitoring, which is frequently ordered in conjunction with home confinement, permits officials to verify that offenders are at required locations at appropriate times.
Monitoring can be continual or periodic and can be accomplished using phone lines or radio signals.
Although the programs may be a cost efficient alternative to incarceration, they are not without criticism. In addressing community resistance, halfway house officials should strive for open and honest lines of communication with community members from the earliest possible stage of the house's existence. Optimally, input from community members should be incorporated into the planning process. Another helpful approach is to work at convincing community members that the halfway house is positively contributing to overall community welfare. E. Temporary-Release Programs 1.