http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/364226599

Halfway Houses

This program model focuses on adult residential inmate aftercare programs. Critical issues in halfway house operations, a model for evaluation, and innovative variations are discussed. The facilities discussed include public and private halfway houses that provide residential services to adult offenders as a transitional step between their release from an institution and their return to independent living within the community. The study defined halfway houses as facilities which accept ex-offenders released from prison, provide the basic necessities of room and board, attempt to determine each individual's problems with reintegration, plan a program to remedy these problems, and provide supportive staff to assist the resident is resolving problems and returning to society as a law-abiding citizen. This study encompassed a review of the literature dealing with adult residential inmate aftercare, a review of available evaluation of halfway house facilities, and a nationwide survey of halfway houses. The study examines critical issues in halfway house establishment and operations, including needs assessment, goal-setting, funding, location, programming, administration, evaluation, and accreditation. Critical issues as expressed by halfway house administrators are combined with the information available from the surveys and site visits to develop generalized prescriptive statements regarding each of these problem areas. The need for evaluative research is discussed, accepted evaluative techniques are examined, a model research design which can be implemented by a single halfway house in order to evaluate its operation is presented, and suggestions for utilizing evaluation results are offered. The study discusses innovative programs and planned variations which have been used successfully by experienced halfway house administrators and explores areas in which flexibility and imagination have enhanced the administrator's ability to provide the type of treatment and services required by ex-offenders in returning to community living. A selected bibliography is included. (Author).

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