NCJ Number
72175
Date Published
1977
Length
85 pages
Annotation
Using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), this study differentiates the personality characteristics of escapees from those of the remainder of the prison population in a Washington State women's prison.
Abstract
Data were collected over a 3-year period at Purdy Treatment Center for Women. An admission procedure was initiated which included the routine administration of the MMPI to all women within 2 weeks of their entrance. A total of 207 valid profiles was obtained, 34 from women who later escaped and 173 from women who were paroled from the institution with no record of unauthorized absences. Researchers hypothesized a relationship between fear and escape, between a poorly directed high energy level and escape, and between authority conflict and escape. An experimental scale was developed from 25 MMPI items which were selected to reflect concepts in the hypotheses. Findings were that fear is not a causal factor nor a correlate to escape; moreover, the hypothesis that fear is related to escape is not accepted because the MMPI items are insensitive on a predictive basis to situational fear. On the other hand, the relationship between a poorly directed high energy level and authority conflict and escape was found to be high. Also the factor of denial was found to differentiate the escapees from the nonescapees. The study demonstrates that personality factors operate in the problem of escape and that evaluative tools can be used to acquire an understanding of what these factors are. Appendixes contain study instruments and tabular data. Approximately 50 references are provided.