A Meta-Analysis Evaluating the Effectiveness of Intermediate Sanctions and Community Corrections Programs for Juveniles

The purpose of this thesis is to determine if, in terms of recidvism, intermediate sanctions and community corrections programs are at least as effective or more effective than general probation or incarceration of non-violent juveniles. The literature review addresses various intermediate sanctions and community corrections programs such as intensive probation supervision, boot camps, house arrest, and restitution programs. The conclusion of the literature review that that intermediate sanctions and community corrections programs are at least as effective and in some cases slightly more effective than general probation or incarceration of young offenders. The design of some of the studies summarized in the literature was found to be unusable in the overall analysis because of a lack of control group. Whitehead and Lab (1989) used a meta-analysis method to conduct their study of juvenile correctional treatment. This thesis uses Whitehead and Lab (1989) as a guide for the analysis of the five usable studies by calculating the phi coefficient and the chi-square. Meta-analysis has the advantage of using a broad range and large volume of studies and the disadvantage of mixing apples and oranges together in the results. This analysis finds that only one study is statistically significant. This lack of statisically significant results suggests that researchers need to conduct more classical experimental designed studies in the area of intermediate sanctions and community corrections for juvenile offenders. Such studies evaluating specific programs are needed in order to determine which are effective. If these programs are at least as effective as general probation and incarceration, the argument can be made that these programs should be used instead of creating more crowded conditions in detention and multiplying the heavy caseloads in probation offices