Study 1
Blackburn (1979) conducted a quasi-experimental study with a matched comparison group to examine the effects of the College Program at the Maryland Correctional Training Center (MCTC) on recidivism. The study sample included incarcerated males at MCTC who were released between January 1, 1970, and November 30, 1978.
There were 189 individuals in the intervention group matched with 189 individuals in the comparison group. The comparison group was matched to the intervention group on six variables: race, age at time of release, date of release, Law Encounter Severity Scale (LESS), Environmental Deprivation Scale (EDS), and Maladaptive Behavior Record (MBR). The race/ethnicity of the treatment group was 56 percent African American, 43 percent white, and 1 percent other. In regard to age, 14 percent of the treatment group was 18 to 21, 50 percent was 22 to 25, 29 percent was 26 to 30, and 7 percent was 31 years and older. The race/ethnicity of the comparison group was 57 percent African American and 43 percent white. In regard to age, 14 percent of the comparison group was 18 to 21, 50 percent was 22 to 25, 30 percent was 26 to 30, and 6 percent was 31 years and older. The study did not indicate whether the two groups were significantly different on any of the six variables. The treatment group participated in the College Program while the comparison group did not participate in the postsecondary education program. Both groups shared common confinement experiences.
Data was collected from the Education Office at the MCTC, the Maryland Division of Corrections, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Recidivism was measured as arrests for new crimes or reconfinement due to parole violations. The CrimeSolutions review of this study focused on recidivism as measured by arrests, as it was not possible to calculate statistical significance for reconfinement due to parole violations because of a lack of incidences in the treatment group. Chi-square and t-test procedures were used to analyze the differences between the recidivism rates of the intervention and comparison groups. No subgroup analyses were conducted.