NCJ Number
64694
Journal
Quarterly Volume: 36 Issue: 3 Dated: (AUTUMN 1979) Pages: 37-40,60
Date Published
1979
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECT VOLUNTEER TUTORIAL CONTACT HAD ON THE VOLUNTEERS' PERCEPTION OF INMATES IS EXAMINED.
Abstract
THIS STUDY WAS DERIVED FROM PREVIOUS RESEARCH INDICATING CITIZENRY MISCONCEPTIONS AND FEARS OF INMATES THAT RESULT IN A RESISTANCE TO EX-OFFENDER INTEGRATION IN THE COMMUNITY. THIRTEEN FEMALE GRADUATE STUDENTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION WERE ADMINISTERED PRE-INTERVENTION AND POSTINTERVENTION QUESTIONNAIRES DESIGNED TO DETERMINE ANY CHANGES IN STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF INMATES AS A RESULT OF THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN A 5-WEEK, ONE-TO-ONE INMATE REMEDIAL PROGRAM. INMATES WERE IN A FEDERAL MINIMUM-SECURITY FACILITY PRIMARILY SERVING 16 TO 25-YEAR-OLD MEN. A 30-ITEM, 4-POINT LIKERT-TYPE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DEVELOPED TO DETERMINE THE SUBJECT'S PERCEPTIONS OF PRISON, PRISON LIFE, AND PRISONERS. THE SIGN TEST (SIEGEL, 1956) WAS USED TO ANALYZE THE EFFECTS OF SUBJECT INTERACTION ON THE PERCEPTION MEASURED BY EACH QUESTIONNAIRE ITEM. RESULTS SHOW THAT THE STUDENTS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY IN INTERACTION WITH THE IMNATES AFTER THE PROGRAM THAN BEFORE. THE SUBJECTS ALSO HAD SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FAVORABLE VIEWS OF INMATES' MOTIVATION TO LEARN AFTER THE TUTORING PROGRAM. STUDY RESULTS SUGGEST THAT ONE WAY OF CHANGING DAMAGING PUBLIC MISCONCEPTIONS OF INMATES IS TO INCREASE CITIZEN CONTACT WITH INMATES. THIS COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BY OPENING THE PRISONS TO MORE CITIZEN VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT IN TUTORIAL, ATHLETIC, VOCATIONAL, RECREATIONAL, AND OTHER INMATE PROGRAMS. TABULAR DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)