| Since 1974 the Massachusetts Division of Parole has used volunteers, working closely with professional staff, to help meet the needs of mentally retarded and learning disabled parolees. The agency provides specialized supervision, weekly counseling groups, weekly resource meetings and regular meetings with community assistant volunteers. This paper describes the Massachusetts Community Assistance Parole Program (MASSCAPP), reviews some of the difficulties encountered in initiating and maintaining the program, and relates the results to recent literature in the areas of volunteerism and restorative justice.
|
Updated 05/20/2006