ACADEMIC AND MOTIVATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PRISON-INMATES ENROLLED IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROGRAM AT NORTH CAROLINA'S CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS - AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

• NCJ Number: 49504
• Author(s): W J CURRY
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 96 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS USED TO ANALYZE SELECTED ACADEMIC FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PRISONER EDUCATION AND TO DETERMINE THE MOTIVATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INMATES ENROLLED IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROGRAMS IN NORTH CAROLINA.

Abstract

OF THE 50 INMATES PARTICIPATING IN THE STUDY, 64 PERCENT WERE AGED 17-24 YEARS, WHILE 24 PERCENT WERE 25-32 YEARS OLD; 50 PERCENT HAD COMPLETED BETWEEN 1-3 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL AND 32 PERCENT 4 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL. TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT HAD COMPLETED FROM 1-3 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL WHILE INCARCERATED. IN ADDITION, 38 PERCENT HAD COMPLETED 1-5 COURSES; 4 PERCENT HAD COMPLETED MORE THAN 20 COURSES. MOST OF THE INMATE-STUDENTS SPENT TIME DOING HOMEWORK DESPITE THE PROBLEMS OF STUDYING IN PRISON. VOCATIONAL COURSES WERE CONSIDERED MOST INTERESTING. WHICH COURSES WERE LEAST INTERESTING WAS A MATTER OF INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCE, ALTHOUGH CLASS DISCUSSIONS OR A COMBINATION OF LECTURE AND DISCUSSION WERE THE MOST POPULAR FORMS OF INSTRUCTION. WHILE 23 PERCENT FELT THERE WERE NO ADVANTAGES TO STUDYING IN PRISON, 25 PERCENT FELT IT HELPED TO USE TIME CONSTRUCTIVELY, 12 PERCENT SAID IT BUILT SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND 10 PERCENT SAID THEY HAD MORE TIME TO STUDY. JOB PREPARATION, PREPARATION FOR LIFE OUTSIDE THE PRISON, AND AN ALTERNATIVE TO BOREDOM WERE ALSO LISTED AS ADVANTAGES. LACK OF STUDY PRIVACY WAS LISTED AS THE MAJOR DIFFICULTY. ABNORMAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH PRISON LIFE WERE ALSO A PROBLEM, LIMITED LIBRARY AND RESOURCE MATERIALS, HARASSMENT OR UNCONCERN BY PRISON GUARDS, AND LACK OF EQUALITY WITH CIVILIAN STUDENTS WERE AMONG THE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED. LACK OF TIME TO STUDY, INABILITY TO GET TO CLASS ON TIME, AND LIMITED COURSE OFFERINGS WERE ALSO CITED AS PROBLEMS. OVERALL, THE SURVEY FOUND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROGRAM TO BE EFFECTIVE AND MORE SUITABLE THAN THE FORMER, PRISON-RUN PROGRAM. IT ALSO FOUND DECREASED RECIDIVISM AMONG THE STUDENTS AND IMPROVED PRISONER MORALE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PROGRAMS BE CONTINUED AND THAT MORE STUDY TIME AND PRIVACY BE ARRANGED. SURVEY DATA ARE PRESENTED, ALONG WITH A BIBLIOGRAPHY. (GLR)