Transition Program Research Brief
Volume 3, Number 1

Endnotes

  1. A statewide comparison group was formed of all individuals arrested for misdemeanors or Class D or E felonies in New York State in 1996-97 who served time for 1-15 months (the range of time most Transition Program participants were incarcerated). Several methodological issues are of note: a. Recidivism was defined as a new arrest (and, for program participants, arrest on an unknown charge). Arrests on technical probation violations were not included because these data were not reflected in the state comparison data, and arrests on old/outstanding charges were removed from both the program and comparison data because they did not reflect new criminal activity; b. It should be noted that the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) maintains information on arrest dates but not release dates or length of time incarcerated. The Transition Program post-release log does not record arrest date. Thus, to create a comparable period of time to assess recidivism, an estimated arrest date was created for Transition Program participants by subtracting length of time incarcerated from release date; c. The status of comparison group members (i.e., whether they had been arrested on a new charge) was assessed at differential intervals from their original arrest date to match the distribution of follow-up periods, from estimated arrest date for the Transition Program participants; and d. The Transition Program recidivism rate cited here represents both convicted (i.e., sentenced) and detained individuals (approximately 50% of each), while the statewide comparison group represents only those who had been sentenced.


  2. Not everyone received post-release assistance for a variety of reasons, chiefly because they could not be located or because they did not wish to receive them.


  3. From the Corrections Yearbook 1997(Criminal Justice Institute, South Salem, NY). The average cost/day/inmate was calculated as the mean of the NYC cost (i.e., $166) and the mean of the 5 other NYS jail systems reported in the Yearbook (i.e. $89.73). Cost savings would likely be greater due to inflation since the 1997 figures were published.