National Evaluation of the Violent Offender Incarceration/Truth-in-Sentencing Incentive Grant Program, 1996-1999

Resource Information

The work National Evaluation of the Violent Offender Incarceration/Truth-in-Sentencing Incentive Grant Program, 1996-1999 represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in University of Missouri Libraries. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Multimedia, Software, Computer Files.

Label

National Evaluation of the Violent Offender Incarceration/Truth-in-Sentencing Incentive Grant Program, 1996-1999

Statement of responsibility

Susan Turner, Terry Fain, Peter W. Greenwood, Elsa Y. Chen, James R. Chiesa

Contributor

• Chen, Elsa Yee-Fang, 1970-
• Chiesa, James, 1949-
• Fain, Terry
• Greenwood, Peter W
• Turner, Susan
• Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research

Subject

• Correctional reforms
• Criminal justice system
• Imprisonment
• Legislative impact
• Offenders sentencing
• Program evelaution
• Sentencing
• Sentencing guidelines
• Sentencing reforms
• State correctional facilities
• Statistics

Genre

• Statistics

Language

eng

Summary

This study evaluated the Violent Offender Incarceration/Truth-in-Sentencing (VOI/TIS) incentive grant program enacted in 1994. The program provided grants to states to be used to increase the capacity of state correctional systems to confine serious and violent offenders. This national evaluation addressed four broad areas: (1) How had the federal government implemented the law? How much money had been made available and what were the criteria for disbursement? (2) How had the states reacted legislatively to the law? Did states adopt truth-in-sentencing or statutes having equivalent effect? (3) How had the state VOI/TIS money been spent and for what? How much did it increased prison capacities? (4) Did the law increase the number of admissions, length of sentences, and terms served for violent offenders? In addition to these four major areas, the study looked at related areas of interest, such as the impact of VOI/TIS and other "get tough" legislation on prosecutorial and judicial attitudes, policies, and practices. It also examined state spending on corrections, particularly for construction. The researchers collaborated with the American Correctional Association (ACA), the American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI), and the Justice Management Institute (JMI) to conduct special surveys among state correctional officials, prosecutors, and judges. The ACA surveyed state departments of correction in the summer of 1998. States were asked to indicate the extent of changes in a number of prison operations and activities since 1996, when VOI/TIS funds became available. In the summer of 1999 the APRI surveyed prosecutors nationwide to ascertain their perceptions of the effects of "get tough" legislation (including TIS) on a number of dimensions. In the fall of 1999, the JMI surveyed judges nationwide on their impressions of the effectiveness of several "get tough" measur... Cf.: http://dx.doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR03336

Member of

• ICPSR (Series), 3336

Additional physical form

Also available as downloadable files.

Cataloging source

ICPSR

Characteristic

combination

Date time place

Start: 1996; and end: 1999

Funding information

United States Department of Justice. NationalInstitute of Justice.

Geographic coverage

United States.

Government publication

unknown if item is government publication

Series statement

ICPSR

Series volume

3336

Target audience

specialized