NCJ Number
56487
Date Published
1978
Length
90 pages
Annotation
RECORDS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS FROM THREE SAMPLES OF EX-INMATES SHOW THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DOGMATIC ATTITUDES OR SELF-CONCEPT AND RECIDIVISM, BUT SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN EDUCATION AND RECIDIVISM DO EXIST.
Abstract
A SAMPLE OF 100 RECORDS WAS CHOSEN FROM THREE SUBPOPULATIONS OF MEN RELEASED FROM THE MISSISSIPPI STATE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM: (1) THOSE RELEASED FROM THE STATE PENITENTIARY AT THE EXPIRATION OF THEIR SENTENCE, (2) THOSE PAROLED AND (3) THOSE RELEASED ON PROBATION. THE TARGET YEAR WAS 1970 AND THE FOLLOWUP LASTED FOR AT LEAST 2 YEARS. IN ADDITION, 20 INMATES WERE INTERVIEWED AND GIVEN A BATTERY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS. THE TESTS SHOWED NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DOGMATISM OR SELF-CONCEPT AND RECIDIVISM. THE RECORDS SEARCH, HOWEVER, SHOWED THAT BOTH THE GENERAL EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (G.E.D.) PROGRAM AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING WERE ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER RECIDIVISM. THOSE WHO PASSED THE G.E.D. EXAMINATION HAD A 7.14 PERCENT RECIDIVISM RATE (2 OF 28 WHO PASSED). THOSE WHO TOOK THE EXAMINATION AND FAILED HAD A 32.1 PERCENT RECIDIVISM RATE (9 OF 28). THE RECIDIVISM RATE FOR THE STUDY POPULATION AS A WHOLE WAS 43.52 PERCENT. RECIDIVISM RATES FOR THOSE WHO COMPLETED A VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM WAS 10.41 PERCENT, FOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED BUT DID NOT COMPLETE A PROGRAM, 30.18 PERCENT. A MAJOR STUDY PROBLEM WAS FINDING SUBJECTS WHO HAD COMPLETED A VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM BECAUSE SUCH PROGRAMS ARE SMALL AND DO NOT ENROLL MANY INMATES. THEIR EXPANSION IS URGED. TABLES PRESENT STUDY DATA. RESEARCH NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)