NCJ Number
13804
Journal
GEORGIA JOURNAL OF CORRECTIONS Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (AUGUST 1973) Pages: 63-70
Date Published
1973
Length
8 pages
Annotation
EXAMINES VARIABLES RELATED TO INMATES' RESPONSE TO INCARCERATION AT A CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION FOR MALE DELINQUENTS.
Abstract
THE DATA FOR THE STUDY WAS GATHERED FROM QUESTIONNAIRES FROM 267 INMATES AT A STATE-SUPPORTED JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION IN THE SOUTHEAST. FOUR RESEARCH HYPOTHESES WERE TESTED. THE FIRST FOCUSES ATTENTION ON PRISONIZATION (COMMITMENT TO THE INMATE SUBCULTURE) WHICH INCLUDES BOTH NORMATIVE ASSIMILATION INTO THE SUBCULTURE AND SOCIAL ROLE ADAPTATION. THE SECOND HYPOTHESIS STATES THAT THERE IS AN INVERSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF LETTERS RECEIVED A MONTH AND DEGREE OF PRISONIZATION. AN ADDITIONAL INDICATOR OF THE DEGREE OF CONTACT WITH FREE SOCIETY IS REPRESENTED BY THE THIRD HYPOTHESIS WHICH STATES THAT AN INVERSE RELATIONSHIP EXISTS BETWEEN DEGREE OF PRISONIZATION AND NUMBER OF TIMES THE INMATE HAS RECEIVED VISITORS. THE FOURTH HYPOTHESIS STATES THAT POSITIVE POSTPRISON EXPECTATIONS ARE INVERSELY CORRELATED WITH PRISONIZATION. THE RESEARCH FINDINGS SUPPORTS THE RATIONAL FOR DEPICTING PRISONIZATION AS A COMPLEX VARIABLE WHICH INCLUDES BOTH NORMATIVE ASSIMILATION AND SOCIAL ROLE ADAPTATION. THE FINDINGS ALSO SHOW THAT THE CORRELATIONS OF PRISONIZATION WITH NUMBERS OF LETTERS AND TIMES RECEIVING VISITORS ARE NEGLIGIBLE. A MODERATE CORRELATION WAS FOUND TO EXIST BETWEEN PRISONIZATION AND POSTPRISON EXPECTATIONS.