NCJ Number
196334
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 46 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2002 Pages: 412-426
Date Published
August 2002
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article examines ways to identify male Federal inmates who are likely to batter their female partners upon their release.
Abstract
Focusing on the assessment of 115 low-security Federal inmates, this article presents research designed to assess and identify male inmates with the potential to batter their female partners upon their release. After presenting a brief literature review concerning the efforts to identify and treat males who batter women, the authors of this article describe the setting, procedure, and instruments used in this study. Ranging from ages 26 to 35, 115 low-security inmates from Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Maryland, Washington DC, and West Virginia were given Psychology Intake Questionnaires (PIQ’s), the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test(MAST), and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III) personality screening test. Data from these tests and further data on previous physical assaults between inmates and their intimate partners were analyzed. Results indicate that batterers tended to be characterized as younger, working-class men with low levels of education and income, who were alcohol and drug users. Other risk markers used to identify potential batters include high levels of personality problems and self-reporting of past battering. The authors concluded that this study suggests that batterer screening and treatment programs are needed in Federal prisons. Tables, references