NCJ Number
89891
Journal
International Review of Applied Psychology Volume: 31 Issue: 3 Dated: (1982) Pages: 383-390
Date Published
1982
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This evaluation of the inmate-administered Guides for Better Living program found that it altered attitudes of participants so as to facilitate the rehabilitative process.
Abstract
The Guides program is an 11-week course taught by inmates for inmates. The program consists of specific assignments directed toward such goals as how to set objectives, how to make decisions, how to motivate oneself, how to develop a pleasing personality, how to practice self-discipline, and how to budget time. The program is intended to help inmates develop attitudes that will be beneficial to their later readjustment to society. A total of 85 male inmates participated in the training sessions at three correctional institutions. The evaluation used a pretest-posttest design. The tests used were the Social Desirability Scale (Crowne and Marlowe, 1968), Social Responsibility Scale (Berkowitz and Lutterman, 1968), Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (Rotter, 1966), and the MACH V Scale (Christie, 1970). At all three training sites, the participants evidenced increased feelings of internal locus of control and less interpersonal manipulation after the training sessions. The development of these characteristics has been shown to be important in the rehabilitative process. Although the evaluation did not collect followup data on inmate adjustment following release, the significant changes found suggest the long-term and continued potential for the inmates to experience social integration. Tabular data and 19 references are provided.