A Review and Perspective of HRD Programs in Corrections

Abstract

The correctionalfield is receiving criticism from all sectors of afrightened and angry society as the crime rate rises and offenders continue to be releasedfrom institutions with the same basic deficits which brought them there in the first place. Although billions of dollars have been spent in an attempt to make these institutions more effective, they have not harvested acceptable returns for the investment. The Human Resource Development (HRD) model, developed by Dr. Robert Carkhuff and associates, has been tested in a variety of correctional settings across the country. This model is based on the assumption that people make out "for better orfor worse" in life, depending on the quantity and quality adjustment skills that they possess in their repertoire. The offender is confined, basically, because he/she has deficits in these areas. Itfollows, therefore, that the more effective method of delivering these needed skills to offenders is to have qualified staff members fulfill the role of trainer of skills. In order to achieve this, the model suggests that the staff can be systematically selected and trained to first learn these life skills themselves and then to deliver them to offenders. A critical analysis of the research of the HRD model has been conducted. It shows that the rearrest! recidivism rates have been markedly decreased by training offenders in the physical, emotional, and intellectual skills areas. Although the HRD model has demonstrated greater successes than programs to which it was compared, it claims to only accountfor a portion of the variance in the outcome of correctional programs. Many questions are still left un-answered in the pursuit of a comprehensive and functional model.