ATTITUDES OF PRISON INMATES TOWARD THEIR VICTIMS RESEARCHED

• NCJ Number: 53342
• Journal: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CORRECTION Volume: 40 Issue: 6 Dated: (NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 19,24-25
• Author(s): W J HENDRICKS
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 3 pages
• Corporate Author: American Correctional Association
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESEARCH RESULTS ARE REPORTED FOR A STUDY OF THE ATTITUDES OF MALE INMATES IN A CALIFORNIA PRISON TOWARDS THEIR VICTIMS.

Abstract

TO INVESTIGATE THE ATTITUDES OF INMATES TOWARDS THEIR VICTIMS, A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS GIVEN TO 250 INMATES AT THE MENS COLONY AT SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF. THE INMATES RETURNED 88 OF THE QUESTIONNAIRES FOR A RETURN RATE OF 35 PERCENT. OF THOSE WHO RETURNED THE SURVEY, 50 PERCENT WERE YOUNG ADULTS WHO WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 29 WHEN THEY WERE COMMITTED BY THE COURTS; 91 PERCENT OF THE GROUP REPORTED THAT ONE OR MORE VICTIMS WERE INVOLVED IN THEIR OFFENSE. THOSE OFFENDERS COMMITTED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES HAD THE HIGHEST INCIDENCE OF MULTIPLE VICTIMS, FOLLOWED BY OFFENDERS COMMITTED FOR HOMICIDE AND ROBBERY. FOR ALL RESPONDENTS WHO REPORTED BOTH SINGLE AND MULTIPLE VICTIMS, 84 PERCENT ACKNOWLEDGED THE PRESENCE OF A VICTIM DURING THE COMMISSION OF THE OFFENSE; 54.2 PERCENT OF THE VICTIMS WERE MALE, 34.9 PERCENT WERE FEMALE, AND 10.9 PERCENT WERE SEVERAL PERSONS OF BOTH SEXES. INJURY TO THE VICTIM WAS REPORTED BY 60 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS, ALTHOUGH MOST INMATES ALSO BELIEVED THAT THE VICTIM HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THE OFFENSE. THE MOST FREQUENT METHOD OF VICTIM PRECIPITATION OF ATTACK WAS FELT TO BE THE PERCEIVED NEGATIVE OR ANTAGONISTIC ATTITUDE OF THE VICTIM TOWARD THE OFFENDER. MOST RESPONDENTS HAD SEVERAL FEELINGS TOWARDS THEIR VICTIMS, WITH MORE INMATES FEELING SORRY FOR THE VICTIM, 28 PERCENT, THAN THOSE WHO FELT ANGRY, 13 PERCENT. IT IS FURTHER NOTED THAT INMATES CONVICTED OF HOMICIDE AND SEXUAL OFFENSES REPORTED THAT THEY EXPERIENCED 'SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE FEELINGS' NEARLY THREE TIMES MORE OFTEN THAN 'SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE FEELINGS' TOWARDS THEIR VICTIMS. GENERALLY, THE ATTITUDES OF THE INMATES IMPROVED AFTER THE DATE OF TRIAL, EXCEPT AMONG THOSE CONVICTED FOR THEFT AND BURGLARY. THE INMATES WHO REPORTED THAT THEY HAD NEVER BEEN THE VICTIM OF A CRIMINAL OFFENSE EXPRESSED MORE SORROW AND SYMPATHY FOR THEIR VICTIMS THAN INMATES WHO PREVIOUSLY HAD BEEN VICTIMS THEMSELVES. (TWK)