NCJ Number
85827
Journal
Monafsschrift fuer Kriminologie und Strafrechtsreform Volume: 64 Issue: 1-2 Dated: (February-March 1981) Pages: 52-62
Date Published
1981
Length
11 pages
Annotation
A 1978 West German study examined 15 subjects who chose imprisonment in lieu of paying the fines to which they were originally sentenced to determine if community service would have been a feasible alternative penalty in these cases.
Abstract
Data were gathered by means of a questionnaire and psychological testing. Focus was on personality characteristics that would indicate unsuitability for community service. Four factors were examined: job performance and work attitudes, ability to work, family relationships, and deviant personality traits. Results indicated that the subjects' work histories were marked by inconstancy and integration difficulties, that they were frequently unemployed, and that they lacked family ties and ability to plan their future security. The psychological test results indicated slight tendencies of neuroticism, and subjects scored relatively low in 'control' and 'social potency.' Overall, however, they appeared basically able to work. Hamburg and Bremen are two West German cities where efforts are underway to enable sentenced offenders to perform community service instead of paying fines. Such programs should be promoted because 1977 statistics show that as many as 27,700 fined offenders served prison terms instead. Tabular data, footnotes, and a bibliography are provided.