EXPERIENCES OF FEMALE INMATES ON TEMPORARY RELEASE FROM INCARCERATION (FROM SOUTHERN CONFERENCE ON CORRECTIONS PROCEEDINGS, 1979, BY V FOX - SEE NCJ-59373)

• NCJ Number: 59381
• Author(s): B R MCCARTHY
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: Ctr for Professional Development and Public Service; Florida State University
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Conference Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ADJUSTMENT DEMANDS CONFRONTING FEMALES ON FURLOUGH ARE EXPLORED IN THIS RESEARCH EFFORT, EMPHASIZING PROBLEMS INVOLVING SUDDEN FREEDOM AND MANAGING THE DEMANDS AND SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FAMILY.

Abstract

THE RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED AT THE NEW YORK STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AND THE CONNECTICUT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION. DURING A 6-MONTH PERIOD, A COMBINED TOTAL OF 76 WOMEN WERE FURLOUGHED FROM THESE INSTITUTIONS; 54 OF THESE WOMEN WERE INCLUDED IN THE RESEARCH SAMPLE. ALL SUBJECTS WERE INTERVIEWED AND ADMINISTERED BRIEF QUESTIONNAIRES SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO FURLOUGH AND AGAIN A FEW DAYS AFTER THE TEMPORARY RELEASE. ADDITIONAL DEMOGRAPHIC AND BACKGROUND DATA WERE ALSO OBTAINED. FOLLOWING CONTENT ANALYSIS, STATISTICAL TESTS WERE EMPLOYED TO DETERMINE SITUATIONAL AND PERSONAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH WOMEN ON FURLOUGH. OVER THREE-FOURTHS OF THE SUBJECTS WERE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 19 AND 39, ROUGHLY HALF WERE SINGLE, THE VAST MAJORITY WERE NOT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, AND ONE-THIRD OF THE SAMPLE HAD NO PRIOR CRIMINAL RECORD. RESULTS SHOWED THAT MUCH LESS DISTRESS WAS EXPERIENCED THAN WAS ANTICIPATED; FOR EIGHT WOMEN, ALL PHASES OF THE FURLOUGH WERE 'PROBLEM FREE.' EIGHT WOMEN DID EXPERIENCE DISRUPTIVE LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY DURING ONE PHASE OF RELEASE; HOWEVER, NO WOMEN WERE TOTALLY INCAPACITATED BY PROBLEMS CONFRONTED, AND ALL ENJOYED THE HOME FURLOUGH. THE PRIMARY EXPLANATION OF THESE FINDINGS LIES IN THE INMATES' EMPLOYMENT OF COPING STRATEGIES INTENDED TO PREVENT OR AMELIORATE DISCOMFORT. BECAUSE FURLOUGHS ARE PERCEIVED AS VACATIONS RATHER THAN REINTEGRATIVE EXPERIENCES, CORRECTIONAL STAFF SHOULD EMPHASIZE THE GOALS AND PURPOSES OF THE RELEASE. INMATES MAY BENEFIT FROM A CONTRACTUAL APPROACH TO TEMPORARY RELEASE THAT REQUIRES A SPECIFIC PLAN OF TASK COMPLETION. FINALLY, FURLOUGHS SHOULD BE MORE FREQUENT AND OF EXTENDED LENGTHS TOWARD THE FINAL RELEASE DATE TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION BACK TO COMMUNITY LIFE. FOOTNOTES AND A REFERENCE LIST ARE PROVIDED. (LWM)