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National Institute of JusticeProgram Focus

Shock Incarceration inNew York

Focus on Treatment

2 National Institute of Justice

PROGRAM FOCUSShock Incarceration in New York:Focus on Treatmentby Cherie L. Clark, David W. Aziz, and Doris L. MacKenzie

HighlightsNew York States Shock Incarcerationprogram for young adults provides a thera-peutic environment where young non-violent offenders receive substance abusetreatment, academic education, and otherhelp to promote their reintegration intothe community.All aspects of the Shock Incarceration, orboot camp, regimen have as their goal thedevelopment of law-abiding citizens. Thetherapeutic approach adopted by NewYork States four Shock Incarcerationfacilities encompasses drill and ceremony,physical training, work, and education, towhich are added a heavy emphasis onsubstance abuse education and treatmentand the development of personal respon-sibility. A program called Network, inwhich staff receive special training, inte-grates all these components into a singletreatment environment.

New Yorks Shock Incarceration programhas had the following outcomes:n Substantial savings in operational andcapital costs. This has been accomplishedby reducing to 6 months the time theseoffenders would ordinarily have spent inprison.n Improvements in educational achieve-ment. On average, graduates of ShockIncarceration in New York have improvedtheir reading and math scores by one gradelevel.n When the return-to-prison rates ofgraduates are compared to those of otherinmates, the graduates did as well as (or insome situations better than) parolees whodid not participate or complete theprogram.

Key components of this approach aresubstance abuse education and a treat-ment program called Network, whichnot only engages the specific partici-pation of Shock Incarceration inmatesbut overlies the rest of the daily regi-men of drill, ceremony, physical train-ing, work, and academic education.Network was designed to establishliving and learning units within correc-tional facilities that are supervised andoperated by specially trained correc-tional officers and supervisors.

The New York State Department ofCorrectional Services began the ShockIncarceration program in September1987 and currently operates four adultfacilities dedicated to Shock Incarcera-tion with a total capacity of 1,570,including 180 beds for women offend-ers and 225 beds for orientation andscreening.2 The department has intro-duced innovative techniques not onlyfor treatment but also for facility man-agement, staff training, and aftercareprogram followup.

New Yorks Shock Incarceration pro-gram has two legislatively mandatedgoals:

n To treat and release selected Stateprisoners earlier than their court-mandated minimum period of incar-ceration3 without endangering publicsafety.

n To reduce the need for prisonbedspace.

The program emphasizes treatment asa means of promoting public safety. Itseeks to build character, instill respon-sibility, and promote a positiveself-image so that nonviolent offend-

hock incarceration facilities, or boot camp pris-ons, for young adults are being developed in city,county, State, and Federal jurisdictions.1 They pro-vide shorter incarceration than the youthful offenderswould normally receive, but the regimen involvesstrict, military-style discipline, unquestioning obedi-ence to orders, and highly structured days filled withdrill and hard work. New York States boot campsadd a new dimension to this typical regimen. In NewYork State, the program is designed to provide a totallearning environment that fosters involvement, self-direction, and individual responsibility.

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must not have committed a violent orsexual offense or been previously sen-tenced to an indeterminate prisonterm. Both males and females are eli-gible [see box].

ScreeningAll offenders committed to DOCSwho are legally eligible for ShockIncarceration are sent to an orientationand screening center at LakeviewShock Incarceration Correctional Fa-cility (SICF). This facility also houses720 offenders, including all eligiblewomen offenders, in phase 1 and is thetraining center for all Shock Incarcera-tion staff.

When screening was decentralized,ineligible inmates in some facilitieswould spread rumors during screeningthat discouraged eligible inmates fromvolunteering for Shock Incarceration.Centralized screening was begun toincrease the proportion of inmates whovolunteer for the program, and it ap-pears to have helped. In fiscal year199293 approximately 65 percent ofeligible offenders were admitted to theprogram after screening, compared toabout 47 percent in 19881989 whenscreening was not centralized.

At screening interviews, offenders areinformed about Shock Incarcerationprogram requirements and must decidewhether they want to volunteer for theprogram instead of serving their fullterms in prison. Participants are care-fully examined for mental and physi-cal problems that would prohibit themfrom taking part in the program. Whilethe evaluation is in progress, offendersare introduced to some of the ShockIncarceration program activities.DOCS officials believe this brief

Rita finishes 50 sit-ups and springs to herfeet. At 6 a.m. her platoon begins a 5-milerun, the last portion of this morningsphysical training. After 5 months in NewYorks Lakeview Shock IncarcerationCorrectional Facility, the morning work-out is easy. Rita even enjoys it, takingpride in her physical conditioning.

When Rita graduates and returns to NewYork City, she will face 6 months ofintensive supervision before moving toregular parole. More than two-fifths ofRitas platoon did not make it this far;some withdrew voluntarily, and the restwere removed for misconduct or failure

to participate satisfactorily. By complet-ing shock incarceration, she will enterparole 11 months before her minimumrelease date.

The requirements for completing shockincarceration are the same for male andfemale inmates. The women live in aseparate housing area of Lakeview. Oth-erwise, men and women participate in thesame education, physical training, drilland ceremony, drug education, and coun-seling programs. Men and women areassigned to separate work details andattend Network group meetings held ininmates living units.

Women in Shock Incarceration

ers can return to society as law-abiding citizens.

New Yorks Shock Incarceration pro-gram is divided into two 6-monthphases:

n Phase 1: an intensive incarcerationprogram operated by the Departmentof Correctional Services.

n Phase 2: intensive community su-pervision conducted by the Division ofParole.

Phase 1 is built around a therapeuticprogram called Network, whichseeks to create a positive environmentto support successful reintegration ofinmates into the community. Withinthis general framework, inmates en-gage in the activities normally associ-ated with boot camps.

During phase 2, Shock Incarcerationgraduates are intensively supervised inthe community. In New York City,where most of them return, a programtermed AfterShock helps with hous-ing, drug and alcohol treatment, re-lapse prevention, family counseling,

job training and placement, and othercritical needs. Much of this is accom-plished with the assistance of a varietyof community-based service agencies.

Eligibility andSelectionIn New York, judges cannot sentenceoffenders directly to Shock Incarcera-tion. Sentenced offenders can enter theShock Incarceration program if theyare legally eligible, if the Departmentof Correctional Services (DOCS) staffdetermines they are suitable for theprogram, and if they are willing tobecome participants. Because ShockIncarceration participants who suc-cessfully complete phase 1 are re-leased prior to serving their mandatedminimum prison terms, the eligibilityand suitability criteria have been de-signed to ensure that the program ad-mits only candidates who will benefitfrom participation and eliminatesthose who pose a risk to society.

To qualify, offenders must be under35 and eligible for parole within 3years of admission to DOCS. They

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Offenders can be removed from ShockIncarceration for legal, medical, disci-plinary, or adjustment problems, orthey may voluntarily decide to leave.Overall, about 37 percent of thoseadmitted fail to complete phase 1 andare sent to regular prisons to completetheir original sentences.

Characteristics of participants. InSeptember 1993, New York State had1,188 males and 129 females in theShock Incarceration program. Exhibit2 (page 8) presents some participantcharacteristics.

Staff TrainingStaff training is a key component ofShock Incarceration. Staff in anyDOCS facility can apply for openingsat SICFs. Once chosen they take partin a 4-week training program patternedafter the Shock Incarceration regimenfor offenders. The training program isdesigned to familiarize all staff withthe concepts, goals, and structure ofthe Shock Incarceration program. Itseeks to give them a better understand-ing of the inmates they will workwith and of the interrelationshipsamong security, programs, andadministration.

The training is largely experiential informat. The schedule is based on amodified version of the Shock Incar-ceration day, which includes physicaltraining, drill and ceremony, and in-structor development, while coveringsome aspect of the 6-month treatmentcurriculum. The course content in-cludes leadership skills and teachingtechniques. All staff, regardless ofdiscipline, learn the fundamentals ofdecisionmaking, substance abuse con-

All participants in New Yorks Shock Incarceration program spend at least 12 hours each week onacademic education.

exposure has lowered withdrawalrates among those who enter ShockIncarceration.

Entry and RemovalMale offenders who volunteer for theShock Incarceration program eitherremain at Lakeview or are sent to oneof the other three SICFs locatedthroughout the State. Females remainat Lakeview. SICFs are minimum-security facilities, some of which wereformerly forestry camps; they are lo-cated in remote wooded areas thatafford opportunities for hard outdoorlabor. Male participants enter in pla-toons of 54 to 60 once each month,and the platoons proceed through the180-day program as a unit.

The first 2 weeks of Shock Incarcera-tion are called zero weeks. Inmateslearn the basics of physical training,

drill and ceremony, and discipline. Itis a period of orientation, indoctrina-tion, and initial evaluation with a focuson strict discipline and attention todetail. Most volunteer dropouts occurduring zero weeks. To minimize zero-week dropouts, the period is empha-sized as an educational time foreasing inmates into the programrequirements.

Exhibit 1 shows the weekday scheduleof activities for inmates in phase 1.They arise at 5:30 a.m. and are keptbusy until 9:30 p.m. with highly struc-tured activities including physicaltraining, work, drug and alcohol treat-ment, education, recreation, and drilland ceremony. There are no free timeperiods, no packages from home, nocommissary, no radios, no magazines,no newspapers, and no television.

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camps are located adjacent to Stateconservation land, on which ShockIncarceration inmates cut firebreaks ormaintain public-use areas. Inmatesalso work on the grounds of the ShockIncarceration facilities. Altogether,inmates who complete Shock Incar-ceration perform 650 hours of hardwork.

Working in supervised crews, the in-mates also perform thousands of hoursof community service for cash-strapped municipalities and commu-nity groups in the areas surroundingthe four Shock Incarceration facilities.In 1993 alone, New York Shock Incar-ceration inmates performed approxi-mately 1.2 million hours of commu-nity service. If these municipalitiesand organizations had hired laborers at$5 per hour to perform this samework, the cost would have been $6million.

The staff and inmates from ShockIncarceration facilities have alsohelped communities in the aftermathof emergencies. Inmates from theMoriah SICF helped contain and cleanup after forest fires. Summit andLakeview inmates cleaned up aftertornadoes struck nearby communities,and inmates from Lakeview cleanedbeaches after a large number of fishwere found dead in Lake Erie.

In addition, Lakeview inmates provideservices for an ongoing Trooper Toys-for-Tots program. They repair dam-aged donated toys and haul, sort, andprepare them for distribution acrossthe United States and in Canada andother countries. In 1992, thousands ofdollars worth of toys were sent to thevictims of hurricane Andrew. The

Exhibit 1. Daily Schedule for Offenders in New York Shock Incarceration Facilities

A.M.5:30 Wake up and standing count5:456:30 Calisthenics and drill6:307:00 Run7:008:00 Mandatory breakfast/cleanup8:15 Standing count and company formation8:3011:55 Work/school schedules

P.M.12:0012:30 Mandatory lunch and standing count12:303:30 Afternoon work/school schedule3:304:00 Shower4:004:45 Network community meeting4:455:45 Mandatory dinner, prepare for evening6:009:00 School, group counseling, drug counseling, prerelease

counseling, decisionmaking classes8:00 Count while in programs9:159:30 Squad bay, prepare for bed9:30 Standing count, lights out

cepts, learning theory, physical train-ing, and drill and ceremony. Groupunity and teamwork are also empha-sized, as staff from different disci-plines work with inmates as a team.

To date, more than 1,500 staff mem-bers have been trained during 14 ses-sions. In addition, DOCS has providedstaff training or technical assistance instaff training to at least 15 other ShockIncarceration programs located in 10different jurisdictions. The programdirector and supervising superinten-dent have been involved in developingstandards for boot camps with theNational Institute of Corrections andthe American Corrections Association.

Phase 1: IntensiveIncarcerationOver 40 percent of inmates time isspent in treatment and education. Theprogram is divided as follows:

n Physical training, drill and cer-emony: 26 percent.

n Treatment and education sessionsto treat addictions: 28 percent.

n Academic education: 13 percent.

n Hard labor on facility and commu-nity projects: 33 percent.Physical Training, Drill,and CeremonyEach morning from 5:45 to 7:00 par-ticipants perform calisthenics and run.Throughout the day, inmates march toand from activities in platoon or squadformation. Three times a day, formalcompany formations of platoons mus-ter before physical training, work orschool, and evening programs.

WorkParticipants perform 6 hours of hardwork per day while in Shock Incar-ceration, arranged in two 3-hour peri-ods before and after lunch. Several

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director of Trooper Toys-for-Totsestimates that the value of the toysrepaired and distributed to needy chil-dren has exceeded $960,000 sinceLakeview began this program in 1989.

NetworkThis therapeutic approach has beenused in DOCS facilities since 1978,but due to recent budget cuts, the pro-gram now functions only in ShockIncarceration facilities. Network em-phasizes a decisional approach toproblem-solving and building self-esteem using a 5-step model taught in12 sessions. An emphasis on familyissues and parenting skills that is partof most New York Shock Incarcera-

trained in Network methods so thatthe skills are reinforced in every as-pect of the Shock Incarceration pro-gram. Community agencies andvolunteers are also encouraged to par-ticipate, further developing a networkof resources.

Substance Abuse TreatmentNew Yorks emphasis on putting alco-hol and substance abuse treatmentwithin the context of a therapeuticcommunity distinguishes it fromShock Incarceration programs in otherparts of the country. All offendersparticipate in Alcohol and SubstanceAbuse Treatment (ASAT), a drugeducation and group counseling pro-gram, for a minimum of two 3-hoursessions per week.

ASAT is based on the 12-step recov-ery program of Alcoholics Anony-mous and Narcotics Anonymous andis staffed by trained substance abusecounselors. Materials from the Net-work program are also included in thecurriculum, revised in 1990. With helpfrom a Bureau of Justice Assistancegrant, Spanish translations of the cur-riculum were also made available.

EducationImproved educational achievement isa central objective of New YorksShock Incarceration program. All par-ticipants spend at least 12 hours inacademic work each week. Over thecourse of their stay, participants com-plete at least 260 hours of academiceducation, including remedial educa-tion, basic high school equivalencyclasses, and preparation for the GED(General Equivalency Diploma). Of-fenders who have completed high

tion curriculums responds to the factthat approximately 75 percent of thewomen inmates and half of the menare parents.

Inmates are formed into platoons wholive together as a unit; they hold aNetwork community meeting daily toresolve problems and reflect on theirprogress. Network helps inmates ad-just to community living and developsocialization, employment, communi-cation, decisionmaking, and criticalthinking skills.

All staff, officers, counselors, supervi-sors, teachers, and support staff inShock Incarceration facilities are

The Network ProgramThe Network program objectives aregrouped into three basic areas:

n Responsibility for self.

n Responsibility to others.

n Responsibility for the quality of oneslife.

Network teaches that in order to makeresponsible decisions, participants mustconsider their own wants and needs, theeffect they have on others, and their ownparticular situations. It teaches them thatresponsible behavior results from recog-nizing the difference between wants andneeds and learning appropriate ways ofgetting needs met. Criminal behavior andsubstance abuse are negative, dysfunc-tional attempts to meet ones needs.

The Network program is based on thepremise that a sense of self-worth andpersonal pride are the foundation of a

responsible lifestyle. Network environ-ments are thus structured to foster respectfor self and others and to focus on sup-portive community living methods. Thesemethods have been developed, tested,and refined by staff and participants overtime.

When staff introduce participants to Net-work, they clearly state the standards ofbehavior expected and discuss how thesestandards support individuals and the lifeof the community. All participants mustmake a commitment to fulfill their per-sonal goals and live up to communitystandards. At daily community meetings,their performance on the standards arereviewed and evaluated. Members par-ticipate in program management tothe degree that they demonstrate theircapacity to make informed, responsibledecisions.

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Participants who commit a single ruleviolation are not necessarily forced toleave the program, but serious or con-tinual rule violations are generallycause for dismissal. Because of theprograms rigor, about 37 percent ofthose who enter Shock Incarcerationdo not complete it.

While strict discipline and close super-vision are integral to the treatmentplan, they also contribute to facilitysecurity. Disruptive inmates are re-moved from Shock Incarceration andtransferred to a higher security prison.

Graduation ceremonies are attendedby DOCS officials and State dignitar-ies, often including judges, the Gover-nor, and State legislators, in additionto family members and friends. Gradu-ation certificates are presented, andspecial awards are made to the twoinmates with the highest and the mostimproved evaluation scores. Afterthe ceremony many new graduatesintroduce Shock Incarceration staff totheir families.

Phase 2:Intensive CommunitySupervisionThe postprison phase of the ShockIncarceration programcalledAfterShockis operated by theDivision of Parole. AfterShocks goalis to continue the intensity of supervi-sion begun during the incarcerationphase and to provide opportunities andprograms in the community that willimprove parolees chances for suc-cessful reintegration.

Although AfterShock is statewide, theDivision of Parole concentrates most

school or obtained a GED spend thesehours as tutors or literacy volunteers.In fulfillment of the Network concept,the education program also drawson community resources, with volun-teers from the community participat-ing as tutors.

Evaluation of InmatePerformanceStaff members evaluate inmates dailyin three areaswork assignments,Network, and drill and ceremonyand do weekly evaluations of theirparticipation in substance abuse treat-ment and education. Inmates aregraded on the extent to which they

accept criticism and show respect;manage their time; and demonstratecooperation, positive efforts, compli-ance with instructions, and progress inthe program. Participants get quickfeedbackboth positive and nega-tiveon their progress.

The Shock Incarceration programplaces strict limits on inmates behav-ior. For many participants, such limitsconstitute a new and unique experi-ence. Many enter Shock Incarcerationonly to shorten their term of confine-ment, and some later decide they areunwilling to make the positive lifestylechanges demanded by the program.

A significant part of the life 6 hours a day of aDOCS Shock Incarcerationinmate is spent performinghard work.

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of its resources in New York Citywhere almost two-thirds of the ShockIncarceration parolees reside. Paroleofficers supervising Shock Incarcera-tion graduates have reduced case-loadsonly 38 Shock Incarcerationgraduates to 2 parole officersto al-low increased contacts between theofficers and parolees for home visits,curfew checks, and drug testing.Shock Incarceration parolees havepriority access to community services,such as educational and vocationaltraining, increased employment oppor-tunities, relapse prevention counseling,and Network meetings. The Divisionof Parole (DOP) contracts for special-ized vocational and employment ser-vices from the Vera Institute of Justiceand for relapse prevention servicesfrom the Fellowship Center in NewYork City. Many Shock Incarcerationgraduates have been hired by theseservice providers to help other gradu-ates readjust to community living.

OutcomesNew Yorks enabling legislation spe-cifically requires DOCS to evaluatephase 1 of the program and the Divi-

sion of Parole to evaluate phase 2.Evaluation staff from both agencieshave coordinated their efforts to avoidduplication and to produce studiesuseful to policymakers. These agen-cies prepare a joint annual legislativereport. Results of these efforts follow.

Cost ContainmentOne goal of New Yorks Shock Incar-ceration program is to reduce prisoncrowding. To achieve this goal, DOCSstaff must recommend a sufficientnumber of eligible inmates for theprogram; a large proportion of thoserecommended must volunteer to enterthe program; and a large number ofoffenders entering the program mustcomplete it. It is also important thatparticipants be offenders who other-wise would be incarcerated rather thanplaced on probation.

DOCS maintains that Shock Incarcera-tion saves money in two ways: first,by reducing expenditures for care andcustody; and second, by avoiding capi-tal costs for new prison construction.Graduation from Shock Incarcerationis the only systemic way New Yorkinmates can be released from prison

before their minimum parole eligibil-ity date. Shock incarceration facilitiescost somewhat more per inmate perday than either medium security orcamp facilities because they offermore programming and have morestaff. Yet Shock Incarceration savescare and custody costs by shorteningthe terms of confinement for thosewho complete the program. If ShockIncarceration were not available, 60percent of those inmates would go tocamps and 40 percent would go tomedium security facilities. Savingsrealized from Shock Incarcerationwere calculated by subtracting the costof having to house graduates if theprogram did not exist.

DOCS estimates it saves approxi-mately $2 million in care and custodycosts for every 100 Shock Incarcera-tion graduates (about $20,000 perinmate). For the first 8,842 graduatesfrom Shock Incarceration as of Sep-tember 30, 1993, New York DOCSestimates it saved $176.2 million incare and custody costs. This savingstakes into account costs associatedwith the 5,331 Shock Incarcerationinmates who did not graduate.

Exhibit 2. Characteristics of Participants

Males FemalesTotal Number of Participants, September 1993 1,188 129Average Age 25.2 26.9Average Years of Schooling 10.4 years 10.7 yearsAverage Number of Prior Felony Arrests 1.4 1.2Parole Eligibility In 18.5 months In 19.4 monthsPercentage Convicted of Drug Offense 66.3 percent 82.2 percentPercentage Committed From New York City 53.2 percent 68.2 percent

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Return-to-prison rates. DOCS hascompared the return-to-prison rates ofShock Incarceration graduates withthree other groups at 12, 24, and 36months after release:

n Inmates who would have beeneligible for Shock Incarceration butwere paroled before Shock Incarcera-tion was established.

n Inmates eligible for Shock Incar-ceration who were screened forparticipation but did not enter theprogram.

n Inmates admitted to Shock Incar-ceration who withdrew or were re-moved before completion.

Exhibit 3 shows the results of thosecomparisons, which indicate that:

n After 12 months, 10 percent ofShock Incarceration graduates re-turned to prison compared to 16 per-cent for offenders who were eligiblebefore Shock Incarceration was estab-lished, 15 percent for those screenedbut rejected by DOCS, and 17 percentfor those who withdrew or were re-moved from Shock Incarceration be-fore completion.

n After 24 months, 30 percent of theShock Incarceration graduates re-turned to prison, compared to 36 per-cent of the pre-Shock-Incarcerationinmates, 36 percent for the consideredinmates, and 41 percent of participantswho failed to complete the program.

This analysis performed by DOCS andDOP researchers indicates that at 12and 24 months, the Shock Incarcera-tion graduates have significantly lowerreturn-to-prison rates than offenders in

60%

55%

50%

45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

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Perc

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to P

rison

Pre-Program EligiblesAdmitted, Removed

12 24 36

Months After Release From Prison

Screened, RejectedProgram Graduates

Exhibit 3. Return to Prison Rates for Shock Incarceration Graduatesand Comparison Groups

Additionally, DOCS estimates thatShock Incarceration has freed upenough space to accommodate an ad-ditional 1,954 inmates. This savedDOCS $129.1 million in capital con-struction costs that would have beenneeded if the Shock Incarceration pro-gram did not exist (based on a per-bedcapital cost of $52,000 for a camp bedand $86,000 for a medium securitybed). Altogether, DOCS estimates thatthrough September 1993 Shock Incar-ceration saved $305.3 million in cus-tody, care, and capital constructioncosts. These estimates do not includeoffsets for the added cost of intensiveparole supervision for Shock Incar-ceration graduates, however.

Educational ImprovementsOn the Test of Adult Basic Education,a standardized testing instrument used

by DOCS, Shock Incarceration gradu-ates on average increased both theirreading and math scores by about onegrade level during their 6 months ofconfinement:

n 45 percent increased their readingscores, with half of these going up twoor more grade levels and 6 percentgoing up four or more grade levels.

n 61 percent increased their mathscores, with half of these going up twoor more grade levels and 14 percentgoing up four or more grade levels.

Of the 593 Shock Incarceration gradu-ates who were tested for the GED infiscal year 19921993, approximately70.5 percent passed after a relativelyshort period of preparation and study.

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the other three groups. At 36 months,Shock Incarceration graduates stillreturn to prison at lower rates, but thedifferences are only significant be-tween the program graduates and theconsidered inmates.

It is important to note that thesegroups were not randomly assignednor were differences among groupsstatistically controlled for in the analy-sis. It is possible that these differencesin return-to-prison rates are really dueto differences that existed among thegroups prior to the beginning of theShock Incarceration program. Certaintypes of offenders could be selected bythe staff, or certain types of offendersmay be willing to participate. There-fore, any differences among groupsmay be due to these preexisting differ-ences and not from what is done in theShock Incarceration program. Anotherpossibility is that the program is a wayto select those who will be better risksin the community if they succeed inthe program, because those who dropout of the program fail at a higher ratethan the other groups.

Furthermore, the research does notuntangle the effects of the militaryatmosphere, the rehabilitation aspectsof the program, and the intensive su-pervision. Any or all of these compo-nents of the program could affect thereturn-to-prison rates.

Since Shock Incarceration graduatesare confined for substantially shorterperiods and fail at the same or lowerrates than the comparison groups,DOCS officials believe the program ismeeting the goals of reducing the needfor prison beds without increasing therisk to public safety.

Ongoing ResearchLong-term evaluation efforts are underway in New York; these findings willincrease understanding of how wellthe program is working and lead tomodifications that will improve itseffectiveness.

Multisite EvaluationIn March 1989, DOCS was selected toparticipate in an NIJ-sponsoredmultisite study of Shock Incarcerationprograms. Coordinated by Dr. DorisMacKenzie, the multisite study hasbeen examining Shock Incarcerationprograms in eight States. The researchdesign and data collected are similar ineach site. The study has three partsprocess evaluation, impact of the pro-gram on individual offenders, andsystem changes including costs andbenefitsand has been looking at:

n The goals of the programs.

n The success of Shock Incarcerationprograms in achieving the goals.

n Components of shock incarcer-ation programs that lead to success orfailure.

Results are expected to be available in1994. While the eight programs havesome common features, they differ inparticipants, program components, andaftercare.

Typology of Shock IncarcerationSuccesses and FailuresIn addition to participating in themultisite study, DOCS is developing atypology of shock incarceration suc-cess and failure to determine whatinmate characteristics or aspects of the

Shock Incarceration process wereassociated with success or failure inthe program. A total of 63 interviewswere conducted with graduates re-turned to DOCS custody and 30 withgraduates who remained on supervi-sion for more than 12 months withoutany violation.

The study found that failure rates in-creased for inmates whose familymembers had serious criminal convic-tions or substance abuse problems,who were arrested at a young age, whowere incarcerated as juveniles, or hada history of serious alcohol abuse. Thestudy also found that Shock Incarcera-tion graduates who exhibited unwill-ingness to adhere to the rules of thephase 2 program (for example, bygetting a job that interfered with pa-role supervision conditions, not attend-ing meetings regularly, or droppingout of substance abuse treatment) wereless likely to complete their paroleperiod successfully. DOCS staff areusing these findings to refine elementsof the program and requirements forpostrelease supervision.

ConclusionMuch still remains to be learned aboutthe shock incarceration approach as analternative sanction for nonviolentoffenders and particularly about NewYorks therapeutic approach. Thisresearch used preexisting groups forthe comparisons (random assignmentwas not used), and in the data analysisno variables were added to control fordifferences among groups. Therefore,the results should be interpreted withcaution. Also, attempts to generalizethe results to other boot camps shouldnot be done without a careful analysis

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Notes1. Parent, D.G. (1989). Shock Incar-ceration: An Overview of ExistingPrograms, Washington, D.C.: NIJIssues and Practices Report, NationalInstitute of Justice. See alsoMacKenzie, D.L. (1993). Boot CampPrisons in 1993, National Institute ofJustice Journal, November: 2128.

2. In 1990, New Yorks LakeviewShock Incarceration Facility becamethe first stand-alone such facility in theNation to be accredited by the Ameri-can Correctional Association (ACA).Since then, the three remaining ShockIncarceration facilities, Moriah,Monterey, and Summit, have receivedACA accreditation.

3. New York law permits Shock Incar-ceration graduates to be paroled beforethey have served the mandatory mini-mum prison term that would otherwiseapply.

of the components of the programsbeing compared. As described in thisProgram Focus, the New York ShockIncarceration program include numer-ous components that are not found inother boot camp prisons.

New Yorks Shock Incarceration pro-gram is notable in terms of its size,intensity of treatment programmingand AfterShock care, and levels ofstaff training. DOCS evaluation so farindicates that the program is respond-ing to the legislatures call for reduc-ing prison bedspace needs withoutincreasing the publics risk. Evenmore important, New Yorks therapeu-tic approach may point the way forredirecting the lives of a number ofyoung offenders, helping them stayout of the criminal justice systemonce they have paid their debt to thecommunity.

The National Institute of Justice is a componentof the Office of Justice Programs, which alsoincludes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bu-reau of Justice Statistics, Office of JuvenileJustice and Delinquency Prevention, and theOffice for Victims of Crime.

NCJ 148410 August 1994

Findings and conclusions of the research re-ported here are those of the researchers and donot necessarily reflect the official position orpolicies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Cherie L. Clark is the Director of ShockDevelopment for the New York State De-partment of Correctional Services(DOCS). David W. Aziz, Ph.D., is a re-search specialist with DOCS. Doris L.MacKenzie, Ph.D., is associate professorin the Department of Criminal Justice andCriminology, University of Maryland.Additional information about the NewYork Shock Incarceration program can beobtained from the New York State Depart-ment of Correctional Services, Building 2,Harriman Office Campus, Albany, NY12226 (5184573007).