DETERMINATE SENTENCING AND PRISONER ATTITUDES

• NCJ Number: 52620
• Journal: OFFENDER REHABILITATION Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: (SUMMER 1978) Pages: 351-369
• Author(s): R J HOMANT
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 19 pages
• Corporate Author: Haworth Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN EXPERIMENT INVOLVING INMATE ROLE PLAYING PRINCIPALLY EXAMINES WHETHER ELIMINATING THE PAROLE PROCESS AND GIVING PRISONERS A DEFINITE RELEASE DATE WOULD REDUCE NEGATIVE ATTITUDES.

Abstract

FIFTY-EIGHT REPRESENTATIVE SUBJECTS FROM THE WISCONSIN STATE PRISON PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. THE SUBJECTS WERE DIVIDED INTO 3 GROUPS: THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP (N=19) GIVEN AN ATTITUDE TEST AND A QUESTIONNAIRE ON BACKGROUND INFORMATION WHILE BEING ASKED TO IMAGINE BEING GIVEN A DETERMINATE SENTENCE; THE COSMETIC CONTROL GROUP (N=20), WHICH UNDERWENT A PROCEDURE IDENTICAL TO THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP WITH THE ADDITION OF BEING ASKED TO PROPOSE A LIST OF ABOUT 10 CHANGES THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AT THE PRISON; THE CONTROL GROUP (N=19), WHICH UNDERWENT THE SAME PROCEDURE AS THE OTHER TWO GROUPS, WITH THE ADDITION OF PROPOSING CHANGES IN THE OVERALL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS WELL AS IN THE PRISON. THE ATTITUDE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DESIGNED TO MEASURE CYNICISM, OPTIMISM, EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION, INTRINSIC MOTIVATION, PROGRAM INVOLVEMENT, AND PROGRAM SATISFACTION. RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE CLEAREST PICTURE OF PRISONER ATTITUDES EMERGED FROM AN EXAMINATION OF COMPLAINTS AND RECOMMENDED CHANGES. MOST OF THE CHANGE RECOMMENDATIONS PERTAINED TO PRISON CONDITIONS, WITH VISITING PRIVILEGES, INTERACTION WITH STAFF, PROPERTY RIGHTS, AND THE NEED FOR BETTER VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS RECEIVING THE MOST ATTENTION. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP DID PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT A DETERMINATE SENTENCE COULD REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION FOR BEHAVIORAL CHANGE, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THIS DECREASE IN EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION WOULD GENERALIZE EITHER TO LOWERED CYNICISM OR INCREASED OPTIMISM. PRISON IMPROVEMENTS RAISED OPTIMISM SIGNIFICANTLY AND PRODUCED A TREND TOWARD DECREASED CYNICISM. IT IS GENERALLY CONCLUDED THAT ALTHOUGH THERE WAS SOME INDIRECT EVIDENCE THAT THE INDETERMINANT SENTENCE IS A SOURCE OF TENSION FOR THE SUBJECTS, THE ISSUE REMAINS OPEN. QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS, REFERENCES, AND DATA FROM THE STUDY ARE INCLUDED.