During the period of 1970s and 1980s, American families from highly urbanized communities has launched advocacy campaign calling the Federal government and the Congress to legislate and enact a public policy that provides preventive and punitive sanction to the rampant occurrences of road mishap and alarming death toll related to drunk driving in thoroughfares and suburban streets in the United States.Subsequently, the long debated social issues relating sanction against drunk driving has finally legislated by the US Congress and enacted on September 1982. The administrative and criminal liability for a lawsuit on reckless imprudence in drunken driving was all carried out in the enactment of “An Act to Increase the Penalties for Operating a Motor Vehicle While under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquors” (Chap.
373, Sec. 1:Sec. 23, Chap. 90, US Public Law, 1982).Given the assumption that a public law is maybe at the “threshold” of jurisprudential considerations on the criminal acts in drunken driving, the penology and detention has been employed with psycho-social function, in which a facility in Massachusetts has administered the corrective-reformative-treatment procedures for the detention of drunk drivers.
The administration of corrective-reformative-treatment has been given due importance in a research-study conducted by Daniel P. LeClair, Director of Research of the Department of Corrections at the Longwood Treatment Center in Massachusetts, wherein he has found several concerns and critical observation on the phenomenal commission of crimes of drunk drivers. This paper aims to examine the research-study of Director LeClair by probing his work through an article critique, of which indicative questions shall guide throughout the overall discussions.Literature ReviewAs a brief background, it would be important to emphasize that Longwood Treatment Center in Massachusetts was the “first minimum security prison” intentionally established in 1985 to provide alcoholism-educational program while a detainee serves the sentence, specifically convicted of criminal offense related to drunken driving (LeCrail, 1987). Research area of interests We may describe LeClair’s research area of interests indicative on the purpose of establishing the Longwood Treatment Center.
LeClair’s “program evaluation model” examines the financial benefits of the State’s population and the socio-economic impact of an institutionalized penal colony that do not only detain the criminal offenders but provides reformative treatment during the prison term. According to LeCrail, evaluating the “institutionalized program” that was within the limited and confined population [of criminal offenders] could serve the “ultimate purpose” for the at large population to know and interact on a feedback system.Another consideration of LeCrail [on his research interest] was to develop a “human intervention strategy”, in which the implementation of the Longwood Treatment Center could reach out a larger population focusing on the target group of individuals. It may be interpreted in LeCrail’s “research interests” the need of a feedback system to impart on the national level or State-wide programs of both public and private entities, individual academicians and educators, interests (advocates) groups, legislators, and other branches of the government.Specification of research Based on LeCrail’s development of structured and directed process of evaluation, the specific questions addresses or relates the programs of the Longwood Treatment Center, of which we may cite [word-for-word] to identify the specific questions, such as (1) is the program being implemented as planned? , (2) has the program been directed at the appropriate and specified target corporation? , (3) is the program effective in achieving its intended goals and objectives? , and (4) is the program able to achieve its goals and objectives? LeCrail, 1987) It may be perceived that the specific questions on the research explicitly examine the significance of the program, and as well probe its impact affecting the respondents.
Evaluating study coverage To evaluate the degree of work in the coverage of study, LeCrail generated the data by utilizing quantitative and qualitative method of collecting data. To cite, the quantitative collection of data was obtained through retrieval of [demographic] records from respondents, like on file criminal record.On the other hand, the qualitative collection of data was obtained through “personality evaluation” on the conduct of personal interview, in which the data has generally exhibited the: (1) detailed program development description; (2) recording of program composition, procedure, services and clients’ interaction; (3) examination of operational programs; (4) prearranged interviews; (5) background information on client-participants; (6) cost analysis; and (7) result indicators (LeCrail, 1987).Type of research design used As discussed above, the type of research design used the quantitative and qualitative method of data collection. This method could be observed to have discreetly or covertly examined the qualifications of the client-participants (inmates) in relation to the program of the treatment center.
In addition, the methods used in data collection may also explore the relevant information on the progress of the individual inmates and how their performance meets the guidelines of the program.In sum, it may be also described that the research design has utilized the subjective and objective evaluation encompassing with the primary purpose of the treatment program. Identifying the study variables The Department of Correction envisions a “program model” through the establishment of the Longwood Treatment Center. To cite, administering the classifications of prison security and overall corrective management of the inmates was not only the role of the Department.By establishing the treatment center, the corrective or rehabilitation component in State security [as a whole] has been complemented.
The combined security management may impart the philosophical value on “serving the sentence and recuperating to return to the folds of the law and the society”. Thus, the level of rehabilitation utilized the education, treatment from alcoholism through psycho-physiological-medical tests, and personality evaluation.As cited, the Longwood Treatment Center has consisted of the educational and rehabilitation programs that aimed to provide: (1) awareness on alcoholism; (2) help the offenders acknowledge the effect of alcohol in the personal life and family; (3) self-awareness to defeat excessive alcohol intake; and (4) support in regaining self-confidence and control (Leclair, 1987). Types of data collection techniques and data sourcing The conduct of the study-research has focused on developing the program, implementing strategies, operational components and indicative effects or impact on the overall performance of the treatment center.This approaches has developed the types of data collection techniques and data sourcing [in relation with quantitative and qualitative methods], such as (1) planning on the conduct of study (2) setting-up of target of the study, (3) consolidating of needed manpower and expertise, (4) evaluation on the results of the conducted study, and (5) assessment on the overall results, effects, findings and achieved performance or effectiveness of the study (LeClair, 1987).Techniques utilized by the researchers The researchers has able to conduct informal (retrieval of records) and formal (personal interviews) that guided the evaluation technique.
In addition, the researchers has able to interact in the overall activities of the treatment center, namely coordinating with the security personnel of the correction, personal interactions with the inmates and participation in the conduct of regular activities being implemented by the treatment center.This particular technique could be a “conventional” approach by the researchers in integrating with the larger population and organizational programs of the center. Identifying unit of analysis We may synthesize the unit of analysis in Leclair’s presentation of study-research which firstly addressed the role of the Department of Correction (DOC) that implemented the Longwood Treatment Center, and secondly the results that pointed out “viability” of the rehabilitation program.Along the way of the study has also found some “predictive” measures on the individual roles of the DOC personnel and on the behaviors of some inmates.
However, the prognosis that described the “need” of strengthening the DOC program, specifically measuring the impact of the program at the perspectives of “at large rehabilitation”, recommending the post-program activities that would draw more impact in the State-wide implementation of preventive care and advocacy pertaining to gradual reduction of drunken driving incidence.Likewise, the unit of analysis posited a policy initiative that would frame the preventive-punitive rehabilitation policy-program of the State in the societal issue of alcoholism. We may reflect in Leclair’s unit of analysis by acknowledging the recommendations to further assess the capability and performance of the DOC program and its implementers. Testable hypothesis The hypothetical ascription for a “drinking driver and the drunken driver” differentiates the social dimension, in which the study-research has tried to explore.As LeCrail defined the social and the habitual drinkers could be a “hide and seek” predicament in the study, of which the study has generalized the examination and focused at the preventive-punitive policy program depictive of jurisprudential law. Therefore, the law provides corrective, reformative and preventive values above all the human errors and most especially premeditated criminal offense, without justifying or differentiating the commission of crimes as of being socially or habitually drunk.
Identifying principal dependent and independent variablesIn the research findings, five examination results have been presented with variable indications. The conduct of quantitative and qualitative research and the techniques used in determining and identifying responsiveness, performance and indicative development formed part of the principal outcome. By categorizing the dependent variable, it has been demonstrated “solely” by observing the respondents through personalized-information approach in an interview, while the conduct of recording from available criminal history files has attributed by the independent variability of the study-research.Identifying validity, reliability, and generalization of issues The study-research has extensively presented a social-focused and program-based examination. The functional units and organizational components of DOC have been thoroughly depicted in the overall conduct of the study.
However, one of the limitations of the study point out to the post-examination that could have dissected the overall result, in which is also acknowledged in the paper as its minimal undertaking.Overall, the social-focused and program-based finding has able to validate reliable information by integrating to the “system” or core target groups and institutional process at the DOC. At hindsight, the generalization of issues has been exhibited in the hypothetical pretext of the social norm referring to rationalizing the “social and habitual drinkers”, wherein trying to explore the relevance of the law in variability of “personification”. Implication to correctional policy The research finding implied the need for a State-wide preventive-punitive policy affecting the performance of the Longwood Treatment Center.In contrast, the DOC has been insinuated with the need and requirement to strengthen the rehabilitation program in adjunct of promoting at-large programs. Meaning, the performance of the institutional activities depictive from the “confined” benchmarking of the study could be considered as a program model.
In which case, the study-research could have initiated a breakthrough in the modeling of policy initiative that may resemble the institutional research. This implication could be then re-examined and re-assess the perspectives at national initiative that may draw popular perception.
