Criminology

Parole officers as defined by Feldman (2003) are the persons charged with supervision of criminals who are freed from jail on parole. This is to ensure that the released offenders are compliant with the terms stipulated in their parole. They help in reintegration of the ex-offenders in the community and in reducing their possibility of committing crimes in future. There is a thin line between the parole officers and the probation officers. While the parole officers supervise those released on parole from jail, the probation officers are charged with the supervision of offenders placed on probation as an option for jail term. According to Gardner (1996), the two roles are sometimes done by one person as is the case in some states.

In this article review, the major issue is the model the parole should use to contain the surging crime rate in America. Crime has been a major issue in the US society and most authors contend that building more prisons and locking offenders longer would not help much in the fight to reduce crime rate. The problem with the system is that most criminals would still find their way back into the society and in most cases find themselves on the wrong side of the law (Cote, February 2003). There are calls to find means of turning the American criminals into good citizens who would obey the law. And tougher laws to fight crimes would not yield much if the previous statistics on re-offenders are anything to go by (Kleiman, July-August 2009).

A study was done among adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in juvenile correctional institutions to determine whether reading problem could be minimized through instructional programs. The study attempetd to research on the ways of improving reading skills among adolescents especially those with EBD (Deboer, Malmgren,  Glass, 2006). This was done through generating of some of the importance concepts in reading within the shortest time possible and at the same time considering the situational constraints that characterized this vulnerable group of students (Feldman, 2003).

Methodology
In the study, four adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Disorder were chosen to participate. They were give different pseudonyms Kelly, John, Ken, and Moses. When the children were diagnosed, they had various mental problems, such as conduct disorder, attention disorder, depression, hyperactive disorder and lack of keenness. These students had come into the correctional institution with various offences, ranging from retail theft, disorderly conduct, and burglary to rape of the minors (Deboer, Malmgren,  Glass, 2006). They aged between sixteen and eighteen just before the study and had at least once encountered special education in EBD. In the sample there were 3 African Americans while the other one was white. Their reading capability varied from that equivalent to those of 4th grade to those of 5th grade.

The students were in a correctional institution that also served the adult males who were suffering from EBD. At the time of the study there were fifteen adolescents who also expected to attend four lessons in a day. Four teachers who were qualified in special education were in charge of these students. They would be placed in groups to study together based on individual students capability. The students were locked up in their cells except when attending classes (Deboer, Malmgren,  Glass, 2006).

Outcomes
The findings were really striking and the intervention was said to have achieved much on the students ability to read considering that the intervention was done within a very short period of time. Deboer, Malmgren,  Glass (2006) Suggested that although the gains made by the individual students was gradual, which was much understandable since mastery of reading takes longer period, there was a recognizable growth for every students from the start of intervention. There was also substantially improvement in the reading fluency of the students which was from 0.6 to an average of 2.3. While in comprehension the improvement saw a rise from 0.3 to an average performance of 4.1 grades.

These growths and improvements can be said to be much important in the overall development of the students. Considering that the students had not had much experience in their reading abilities before, the increases may help the students in their academic performance as well long term effects in their lives. Another important result noted during this study was that there were no significant gains made in the oral reading skills. This study therefore showed that these youths had the ability to perform well in the reading and other subjects (Deboer, Malmgren,  Glass, (2006).

Some the findings of the study also showed an overall improvement in the academic performance of the youths. As one of the teacher reported, some students who had found it difficult to read aloud in class, enjoyed reading and even volunteered to read in front of everyone after the intervention study (Deboer, Malmgren,  Glass, 2006).. Much changed as the students now had a much growing interest in the study. The students would ask their teachers about the changes in their graphs and some even carried with them their performance graphs to class.  The growing interest was also observed in their attendance of the intervention lessons. In all the 175 meetings organized by the investigators, the students did not miss any and would always ask about the next session. The study summarized that graphic representation of performance works to motivate the students as was evidenced in this study where visualization of the students performance acted as motivator.

Limitations
The study was found to have generalized the possibility of success and forgetting that this was an isolated case. The investigators had one-on-one situation to monitor their subject and again they the students felt much at ease because they encountered people from outside the correctional facility (Deboer, Malmgren,  Glass, 2006).. That freedom of having on-on-one evaluation of the subjects would not be possible with the teachers within the facilities. The strict rules employed by the investigation who basically have to be keen to have the best results possible, cannot be adhered to closely by the teachers at the facility who have a lot to do.

Although it is important that the approach should be tested more and more for its effectiveness, it would also be suitable if the teachers within the facilities are handed the role of interventionists. One major success of this study was the much improvement in the students grades which was very much remarkable since they had low grades at the beginning of the study. The individual needs of the students would be hard to achieve considering the few available teachers comparable to the number of students. The problem is compounded by the low budgetary allocation and logistic constraints that would make meeting individual needs of the students unrealistic (Deboer, Malmgren,  Glass 2006).

The data collected could not be reliable. The data on oral reading skills showed that success was nearly 98 per cent which arguably was high. But since the data were taken much later in different sessions from the interventions ones, the result can only be said to be unreliable. The teachers and other language classes could have had an influence on the improved performance of the students (Cote, February 2003).

To minimize these biases, it would be wise to have the approach used on a large scale student with similar or different configurations (Gardner, 1996). This would help to try and test its efficiency. It would also be in order if the teachers within the facilities are used as interventionists as oppose to the external investigators. This would shed much light on the reaction of students towards their teachers in such programs. Most students tend to be rebellious towards their teachers which might just limit the success of the approach.

Importance of the Study.
This study shows that with good intervention methods Emotional and Behavioral Disorder students can indeed improve in their reading skills. The finding is much important considering that most youths in the juvenile correctional facilities have a problem in reading. In most cases they are only able to read 4th grade level (Cote, February 2003). Another remarkable significance of this study is that interventions programs can have tremendous effects on the overall academic performance and the general wellbeing of the students. The period of stay in the correctional facilities is arguably short for achieving any result in remedial education. But the research has shown that with proper organization much can be achieve in reform the behavior and the educational progress of the youth. It is therefore a challenge to the planners, educators and law enforcers to look for w3ays of improving on the setbacks that hinder the reformation of youths in the correctional facilities (Paparozzi, August 2003).

Conclusion 
This study has provided the best platform for more intensive research to ascertain the efficacy of this approach in helping students or youths with serious behavioral problems and academic needs. It would be through such studies that the recidivism crime could reduce in the American society.