NCJ Number
95647
Journal
Indian Journal of Criminology Volume: 12 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1984) Pages: 26-32
Date Published
1984
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This paper reports on a 1978 survey of a random sample of American criminologists that solicited their views on rehabilitation.
Abstract
Ten percent of the criminologists listed in the 1978 Membership Directory of the American Society of Criminology were sent questionnaires. Four distinct viewpoints emerged concerning 'complete rehabilitation:' (1) the skeptic rejects the concept of anyone being completely rehabilitated; (2) the legalist defines 'complete rehabilitation' as the absence of any recurrent law violation; (3) the good citizen view of 'complete rehabilitation' holds that the former offender must be law abiding, have a job, and not constitute a 'drain' on society; (4) finally, the 'idyllic' citizen assumption is that 'complete rehabilitation' offenders are those who in addition to being law abiding are also ideal citizens. The completely rehabilitated offender would show a number of psychological strengths: self-control in the face of stress, frustration, or provocation; trustworthiness, with personal and global priorities; and high self-esteem. One figure shows the positive attributes of 'completely rehabilitated' felons; these are divided into work and economic attributes, other economic attributes, prosocialization attributes, and psychological 'strength' attributes. They include self-support, compensation for the crime victim, marital stability, and no drug use. Negative attributes -- divided into work and economic attributes, antisocial attributes, and psychological weakness attributes -- are listed in a second figure.