Pre-release Characteristics and Service Receipt among Adult Male Participants in the SVORI Multi-site Evaluation

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Abstract

This report presents findings from the Multi-site Evaluation of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI). The results of our initial in-prison interviews with SVORI participants and comparison respondents are included, in addition to an overview of the SVORI programs observed. The report describes the characteristics of the adult male prisoners we interviewed, the services they reported needing, and the services they reported receiving prior to release. Overall, SVORI participants reported receiving more services of a variety of types than members of the comparison group, although there was considerable variation in the levels of services among the sites. 

Introduction

The Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) funded agencies in 2003 to develop programs to improve criminal justice, employment, education, health, and housing outcomes for released prisoners. Sixty-nine agencies received federal funds ($500,000 to $2,000,000 over 3 years) to develop 89 programs. The SVORI multi-site evaluation was funded by the National Institute of Justice in the spring of 2003 and included prerelease and follow-up interviews with nearly 2400 returning prisoners. Sixteen programs are included in the impact evaluation, comprising 12 adult programs and 4 juvenile programs located in 14 states: Colorado (juveniles only), Florida (juveniles only), Indiana, Iowa, Kansas (adults and juveniles), Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina (adults and juveniles), and Washington.

This report presents findings from the pre-release interviews conducted with adult males in the 12 adult impact sites. The sample includes 863 men who were enrolled in SVORI programs and 834 comparison men who did not receive SVORI programming. The data presented in this report are primarily descriptive and convey characteristics of the respondents, as well as their pre-prison and incarceration experiences. Differences between SVORI and non-SVORI respondents are
presented for the purpose of assessing pre-release comparability between groups.

Characteristics of the SVORI and non-SVORI Comparison Respondents

• The average age of the respondents was 29 years, and about half were black and one-third were white.
• About 60% had a high school diploma or GED.
• Prior to incarceration, most respondents reported living in a house or apartment that belonged to someone else, and nearly all reported having family members and friends who had been convicted of a crime or had problems with drugs or alcohol.

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