Volunteer Program Effectiveness: The Reduction of Recidivism

Abstract

The results reported in this article are part of a larger study which entailed an evaluation of the extant research literature on the effectiveness of citizen Volunteer Programs in the area of Courts and Corrections. The focus in this paper was narrowed to a specific measure of program effectiveness: Recidivism. The research literature was first screened in terms of its technical quality, and those research reports which met acceptable methodological standards were then analyzed in terms of their policy relevant findings on the recidivism measure. Several conclusions were discussed in the paper. Primary among these is that the overall research on the topic of recidivism is inconclusive as to the effectiveness of Volunteer Programs relative to non-Volunteer (e.g., regular probation) program alternatives. The research to date is, simply put, too thin to reveal any clear research trend. This conclusion is discussed within the context of evaluative research in the area of criminal justice as a whole. The reader is reminded of the lack of clear-cut research trends within the general area of criminal justice research.