NCJ Number
46119
Journal
Journal of Clinical Psychology Volume: 33 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1977) Pages: 1100-1103
Date Published
1977
Length
5 pages
Annotation
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CHARACTERISTICS OF STATE PRISON INMATES WHO DEMONSTRATE GOOD ADJUSTMENT AND THOSE WHO DEMONSTRATE SEVERE MALADJUSTMENT IN PRISON IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT A HISTORY OF GOOD ADJUSTMENT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH PRISON ADJUSTMENT, WHILE SOCIAL MALADJUSTMENT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH ACTING-OUT INFRACTIONS (I.E, THOSE THAT RESULT IN INJURY OR THREAT TO LIVES OR IN PROPERTY DAMAGE). SUBJECTS RANGED FROM 18 TO 59 YEARS OF AGE AND WERE ALL ASSIGNED TO THE NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF PRISONS. THE INFRACTION GROUP (INF) CONSISTED OF PRISONERS WHO HAD COMMITTED TWO OR MORE SERIOUS INFRACTIONS DURING AN 18-MONTH PERIOD OF IMPRISONMENT. NINE INFRACTIONS WERE INCLUDED, RANGING FROM THREATENING PERSONNEL AND ASSAULT TO ARSON AND MURDER. NONINFRACTION GROUP (NINF) SUBJECTS HAD NO SERIOUS INFRACTIONS DURING THEIR CURRENT OR ANY PREVIOUS PRISON TERM. BACKGROUND FACTORS ASSESSED INCLUDED RACE, EDUCATION, TRAINING SCHOOL RECORD, MARITAL STATUS, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE, CRIME CLASSIFICATION AND CONDUCT AT TIME OF CRIME, AND MILITARY SERVICE AND WORK RECORD. CHI SQUARE ANALYSIS OF DATA FOUND NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS ON RACE, ALCOHOL/DRUG USE, MARITAL STATUS, CRIME CLASSIFICATION, OR CONDUCT AT THE TIME OF CRIME. HOWEVER, POOR PRIOR ADJUSTMENT FOR THE INF AS COMPARED TO NINF SUBJECT WAS EVIDENCED IN AN 86-PERCENT SCHOOL EXPULSION OR DROPOUT RATE AS COMPARED TO 66 PERCENT FOR NINF SUBJECTS. THIRTY PERCENT OF THE INF SUBJECTS HAS A PRIOR TRAINING SCHOOL RECORD AS COMPARED TO 10 PERCENT OF THE NINF SUBJECTS, AND 72 PERCENT OF INF SUBJECTS HAD UNSTABLE EMPLOYMENT RECORDS, WHILE ONLY 30 PERCENT OF NINF SUBJECTS SHOWED SUCH INSTABILITY. FINDINGS SUPPORT THE HYPOTHESIS THAT PRISON MALADJUSTMENT IS ASSOCIATED WITH PRIOR SOCIAL MALADJUSTMENT. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (JAP)