Evaluation of the Implementation and the Impact of the Massachusetts Intensive Probation Supervision Project: A User's Guide to the Machine-Readable Files and Documentation and Codebook

The IPS program was characterized by four changes: increased supervision; risk and needs assessment for substance abuse, employment, and marital-family problems; strict enforcement of probation; and a four-stage revocation procedure for technical violations. Dependent study variables were employment, substance abuse, marital-family relationships, and subsequent recidivism. Offenders placed on IPS probation in 1985 by 13 experimental courts were compared to high-risk offenders placed on regular probation in 1984 by the experimental courts and high-risk offenders placed on regular probation in 1984 and 1985 by 13 control courts. Two samples were collected from the 13 experimental courts, 277 IPS offenders and 242 high-risk offenders. Two samples were also collected from the 13 control courts, 159 high-risk offenders in 1984 and 206 high-risk offenders in 1985. Additionally, a sample of 2,534 offenders on lower levels of supervision was collected from both experimental and control courts for 1984 and 1985. Data were obtained using risk assessment forms, needs-strengths assessment forms, probation supervision records, and criminal history data. Although data resulting from the analysis are tabulated separately, a data completeness report and a codebook are included. 1 reference and 7 tables