NCJ Number
169001
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 59 Issue: 4 Dated: (July 1997) Pages: 28,30
Date Published
1997
Length
2 pages
Annotation
Adult female inmates incarcerated in State correctional institutions in 1983 were compared with those incarcerated in 1993 with respect to age, race, education, offense, sentence length, and time to serve.
Abstract
The surveys used the same sampling frame and the same questionnaire distributed through one initial mailing and two follow-up mailings. Responses came from 58 of the 65 surveys mailed in 1983 and 33 of the 170 surveys mailed in 1993. Females represented 4 percent of the offender population in 1983 and 5 percent in 1993. Most female offenders were 21-30 years old in both 1983 and 1993. The two groups were also similar in terms of race. Twenty-one percent in 1983 and 9 percent in 1993 had less than a ninth grade education; a higher proportion in 1993 had a postsecondary education. The crime profile changed appreciably during the decade as well. A higher proportion in 1993 were convicted of violent crimes, while a lower proportion were convicted of property and morals offenses. The number of sentences for 20 years or less was about the same; the number of sentences of more than 20 years doubled in 1993. Findings have implications of future research on the relationship between changes in the profile and changes in social and institutional constructs. Table and 3 references