Five models of sentencing were assessed with respect to their impact on the decisions of young offenders to recidivate. The five sentencing models tested were fairness, deterrence, chronic offender lifestyle, special needs, and procedural rights. A sample of 400 incarcerated young offenders from the Vancouver, British Columbia, metropolitan area were asked questions regarding their attitudes toward these sentencing models and their intentions to recidivate after serving a period of incarceration. Principal components analyses suggested that although these models do not function independently, two composite models do shed some light on the issues that young offenders consider when contemplating their decisions and intentions to recidivate. Despite the ability of these models to predict half of the explained variance in young offenders’ decisions regarding recidivism, a majority of the sample appeared to not be affected exclusively by cost-benefit analysis, punishment, or reintegrative motivations. The authors conclude that without additional variables and even higher predictive validity, it is premature for policy makers to focus on any single model of sentencing in constructing juvenile justice laws.
Fifty patients released by the Review Panel are compared with a matched group of 50 patients discharged by the attending physician at one and at two years after separation from hospital. The two groups did not differ with respect to readmission rate or time spent in the community. At two years the physician-discharged patients were functioning better than the Panel-discharged patients in two of the seven areas of functioning; in the other five areas of functioning the adjustment of the two groups did not differ. The implications of these findings for the operation of the Review Panel and for the timely discharge of involuntary patients by attending physicians is discussed.
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