ATTITUDE CHANGE IN A WESTERN CANADIAN PENITENTIARY

• NCJ Number: 27247
• Journal: CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND CORRECTIONS Volume: 17 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY 1975) Pages: 250-262
• Author(s): J G TROYER; D E FREASE
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: Canadian Criminal Justice Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

A STUDY, CONDUCTED AT A MEDIUM SECURITY PRISON IN CANADA, ATTEMPTING TO REPLICATE A 1958 STUDY BY STANTON WHEELER WHICH INDICATED THAT IMPRISONMENT PROMPTS ATTITUUDINAL CHANGES AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF IMPRISONMENT.

Abstract

THE EARLIER STUDY HAD INDICATED THAT EARLY IN THEIR SENTENCES, INMATES WERE PROSOCIAL, BUT THAT IN THE MIDDLE PHASE THERE WAS A SHIFT TO AN ANTISOCIAL STANCE. IN THE FINAL PHASE OF THE SENTENCE, ATTITUDES BECAME ONCE AGAIN MORE PROSOCIAL. DATA ANALYSIS OF QUESTIONNAIRE DATA WAS EMPLOYED. CONFORMITY TO STAFF ROLE EXPECTATIONS WAS THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE. TIME SERVED, PHASE OF SENTENCE, AND PRIOR ADULT COMMITMENTS WERE INDEPENDENT VARIABLES IN THIS NEW STUDY. RESULTS DID NOT SUPPORT THE FINDINGS OF THE EARLIER STUDY. CONFORMITY WAS NOT FOUND TO BE HIGH AT EARLY STAGES OF IMPRISONMENT, AND IT WAS FOUND TO INCREASE THROUGHOUT ALL PHASES OF IMPRISONMENT. SEVERAL REASONS ARE SUGGESTED FOR THE DIFFERENT RESULTS. --SUMMARY IN FRENCH