AGING IN PRISON - THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PRELIMINARY MODEL

• NCJ Number: 60358
• Journal: OFFENDER REHABILITATION Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (SPRING 1979) Pages: 271-282
• Author(s): R H ADAY; E L WEBSTER
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: Haworth Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

AN EXPLORATORY ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH A MORE SYSTEMATIC MODEL OF AGING IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS IS MADE IN THIS STUDY OF 95 OLDER MALE INMATES AT TWO PRISONS.

Abstract

THE INSTITUTIONAL ADJUSTMENT OF OLDER PRISONERS PROVIDES THE MAJOR FOCUS FOR THIS STUDY. AMONG THE VARIABLES STUDIED WERE THE AGES OF PRISONERS AT THE TIME OF THEIR FIRST ARREST, THE LENGTH OF TIME SPENT IN PRISON, AND THE NATURE OF THE OFFENSE. ONE PORTION OF THE SAMPLE COMPRISED 40 INMATES HOUSED IN A SEGREGATED FACILITY AT THE LEXINGTON REGIONAL TREATMENT CENTER IN OKLAHOMA, AND THE SECOND GROUP CONSISTED OF 55 PRISONERS FROM CUMMINS PRISON IN ARKANSAS. SUBJECTS WERE HOMOGENEOUS CONCERNING SUCH VARIABLES AS SOCIAL CLASS, EDUCATION, OCCUPATION, AND HEALTH STATUS. THE AVERAGE AGE WAS 61 YEARS, 29 PERCENT WERE MARRIED, 38 PERCENT WERE BLACK, 60 PERCENT WHITE, AND 2 PERCENT INDIAN. INTERVIEWS WERE USED TO OBTAIN DATA ON LIFE SATISFICATION, INSTITUTIONAL DEPENDENCY, HEALTH PROBLEMS, PRISON ACTIVITIES, CRIMINAL CHARACTERISTICS, AND OTHER SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE FEELINGS OF INSTITUTIONAL DEPENDENCY BETWEEN THOSE INMATES SEGREGATED FROM THE GENERAL POPULATION AND THOSE INTEGRATED INTO THE GENERAL POPULATION. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MARITAL STATUS OF OLDER INMATES AND THE DEGREE OF INSTITUTIONAL DEPENDENCE. LENGTH OF IMPRISONMENT APPEARS TO HAVE A DIRECT INFLUENCE ON THE DEGREE OF INSTITUTIONAL DEPENDENCY, WITH THOSE SERVING LESS TIME DEMONSTRATING LOWER DEGREES OF DEPENDENCY. A MODERATE RELATIONSHIP WAS FOUND BETWEEN THE AGE OF FIRST IMPRISONMENT AND THE DEGREE OF DEPENDENCY. CHRONIC OFFENDERS WERE FOUND TO EXHIBIT MORE INSTITUTIONAL DEPENDENCY THAN THOSE WHO COMMITTED THEIR FIRST OFFENSE AT A LATER AGE. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE MODEL OF AGING. THE ITEMS USED TO MEASURE INSTITUTIONAL DEPENDENCY ARE APPENDED. STATISTICAL CHARTS AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)