Successful prisoner reentry is a major challenge facing communities across the United States. The Office of Justice Programs estimates that nearly 650,000 offenders are released from incarceration annually. Effective, community-based programs for parolees are one method for aiding former prisoners in their transition back to living in the community while maintaining public safety.

Day reporting centers (DRCs) are one promising resource to facilitate successful offender reentry. Typically, DRCs are highly structured, non-residential programs that offer a combination of services, supervision, and graduated sanctions. However, there are few empirical studies examining the use of DRCs for parolees, and none have employed an experimental design. With funding from the United States Department of Justice through the National Institute of Justice, the Violence Institute, with cooperation from the New Jersey State Parole Board, is currently conducting an experimental evaluation designed to test the effectiveness of six DRCs in New Jersey in reducing recidivism, increasing employment, and facilitating offender reentry. Parolees (N = 403) were randomly assigned to either a DRC or intensive supervision parole (ISP) for three months. Follow-up takes place at the end of their three-month treatment period, and then for eighteen months at six-month intervals. This study is the first experimental evaluation of DRC effectiveness.

For further information, please contact the principal investigator and study director, Dr. Douglas Boyle, at Douglas.Boyle@UMDNJ.edu.