HD35 - Interim Report of the Department of Criminal Justice Services on Evaluation of the Richmond Day Reporting Center (RDRC)
Executive Summary: In 1994, the General Assembly authorized funding for the development of a day reporting program in the City of Richmond for probation and parole technical violators. Like similar day reporting programs in Virginia, the purpose of this program was to provide non-residential punishment which assured high standards of public safety and fostered positive lifestyle changes among participants. Ideally, the day reporting center program, which is the final step on a continuum of alternative sanctions, would reserve costly correctional bed space for more violent offenders. It would also provide the education, drug services, and other assistance necessary to prevent recidivism in non-violent offenders. The Richmond Day Reporting Center (RDRC) began accepting offenders on October 1, 1994. As originally intended, they accept referrals of probation and parole technical violators from the City of Richmond Probation and Parole (District #1) Office, Circuit Court Judges, and Parole Hearing Officers/Parole Examiners. In addition to accepting referrals from the City of Richmond, the RDRC began accepting referrals of appropriate offenders from neighboring Henrico and Chesterfield counties. The RDRC also revised its policies during the first year of operation to accept new parolees and probationers who require the additional supervision and services offered at the RDRC. The 1994 Acts of Assembly (Chapter 966, Item 565) specified appropriations of $200,000 for Fiscal Year 1995 and $375,000 for Fiscal Year 1996. Much of these funds are allocated for staff. The RDRC is operated by six Department of Corrections (DOC) staff (1 director, 1 clerical staff, 2 probation/parole officers and 2 probation/parole technicians) and three contracted service providers. Service providers include a Department of Correctional Education (DCE) teacher, an Alcohol and Drug Service (ADS) counselor from the City of Richmond Community Services Board, and a staff member from Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR) of Richmond. These three staff members provide the educational, drug treatment, community service, and life skills assistance which is required as treatment for most of the offenders assigned to the RDRC. In addition to the paid staff members, several individuals and groups provide volunteer services to these offenders. As of November 30, 1995, 149 offenders have been accepted into the RDRC program. Of these, 57% are currently active cases, 13% successfully completed the program, and 30% have unsuccessfully terminated the program. Approximately 40-50% of the offenders are contracted to receive educational service, 100% are contracted to receive alcohol and drug treatment services, 100% are contracted to complete community service, and 50% are contracted to complete life skills courses. As required by legislation, the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) will evaluate the Richmond Day Reporting Center program and report the results to the General Assembly. The evaluation of the RDRC program will address two domains: program operations and program impact. Evaluation of program operations will assess the effectiveness and efficiency with which the RDRC program achieves its operational goals and objectives. Evaluation of program impact will attempt to investigate the effect of the program on criminal justice system functioning in the City of Richmond, specifically relating to the issues of diversion, recidivism, bed space, and cost savings. This evaluation is scheduled to be completed by the 1997 General Assembly session. The purpose of this interim report is to describe the program elements, provide an update on program changes during the first year of operation, review preliminary program use and case outcome data, and present an outline of the data being collected for the final evaluation of the RDRC. |
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