An evaluative study of Project Outreach to Inmates: a higher education program offered by the University of Virginia at three of Virginia's correctional institutions

Abstract

Project Outreach to Inmates was a rehabilitation program which attempted to introduce and provide continuous higher education to inmates at three of Virginia's correctional institutions. The program was initiated as a response to pressures by inmates, courts, and the public demanding rehabilitation programs in correctional institutions. No evaluation was originally planned for the program and since evaluation is an essential part of any correctional education program in determining its impact, this study was undertaken to carry out a descriptive analysis and design and conduct an evaluation of Project Outreach to Inmates. The descriptive analysis and evaluation of Project Outreach to Inmates involved all participants in the program. In addition a sample of the participants was compared with a control group of nonparticipants. The program proposal and reports, correctional institution reports, the California Psychological Inventory, questionnaires, and interviews were used as data sources for the descriptive analysis and evaluation. These data were analyzed using appropriate descriptive statistics and non-parametric statistical tests of significance. Project Outreach to Inmates which was funded under Title I of the Higher Education Act was established and administered by the University of Virginia and monitored by the Rehabilitative School Authority. It began in January of 1975 at Powhatan Correctional Center, Virginia Correctional Center for Women, and Virginia State Penitentiary. By February of 1976, eleven courses were taught to 225 inmates at the three institutions and one graduate level independent study was taught to an inmate. These courses and inmates were described in-depth in the descriptive analysis as well as other aspects of the program and people involved in it. Project Outreach to Inmates had two objectives:

To provide inmates with a worthwhile experience.

To encourage the Rehabilitative School

Authority to contract with state educational institutions to provide continuous higher education programs in correctional institutions. Eighteen research questions were used to evaluate these objectives. The answers to these research questions indicated that the objectives have been and continue to be met and, therefore, indicated that the ' program was successful. The people involved with the program (program administrators, the Rehabilitative School Authority superintendents, correctional institution superintendents, correctional institution principals, program instructors, and program participants) had the opinion that the program was successful. Further studies need to be conducted on correctional higher education programs to see if the trends found in this program also are found in other programs. Follow-up studies need to be conducted to see if correctional higher education assist in rehabilitating inmates after their parole.