Christian prison program fakes success by massaging data.

[ConsAreLiars]

From http://slate.msn.com/id/2086617/
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Faith-Based Fudging
How a Bush-promoted Christian prison program fakes success by massaging data.
By Mark A.R. Kleiman
Posted Tuesday, August 5, 2003, at 9:35 AM PT
<snip>
The White House, the Wall Street Journal, and Christian conservatives have been crowing since June over news that President George W. Bush's favorite faith-based initiative is a smashing success.
<snip>
InnerChange started with 177 volunteer prisoners but only 75 of them "graduated." Graduation involved sticking with the program, not only in prison but after release. No one counted as a graduate, for example, unless he got a job. Naturally, the graduates did better than the control group. Anything that selects out from a group of ex-inmates those who hold jobs is going to look like a miracle cure, because getting a job is among the very best predictors of staying out of trouble. And inmates who stick with a demanding program of self-improvement through 16 months probably have more inner resources, and a stronger determination to turn their lives around, than the average inmate.

The InnerChange cheerleaders simply ignored the other 102 participants who dropped out, were kicked out, or got early parole and didn't finish. Naturally, the non-graduates did worse than the control group. If you select out the winners, you leave mostly losers.
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Just one more case of of the big lie at work. And a reminder of the difference between truthtellers and cons.

[grasswire]

1. Colson's shop...

.....has been using fuzzy math on their program statistics for at least the 15 years that I have been watching the work at Prison Fellowship. And I know whereof I speak.

[leftofthedial]

2. Christians believing in made-up bullshit?

I'm shocked!

[Trajan]

3. It should be noted ....

"Thou Shalt NOT Lie" ... is NOT a commandment ....

Too bad ...... must have fergot that one ...

[Submariner]

4. This god stuff just gets sillier every day

This study shows, in essence, that getting these phony gods and religions out of the rehab program and facing reality instead is a more productive step. Those silly gods....