NCJ Number
44608
Date Published
1976
Length
210 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A SURVEY ADMINISTERED TO 100 MEN ON PAROLE FROM WASHINGTON STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ARE REPORTED; THE STUDY SOUGHT TO EXAMINE THE PERCEPTION PAROLEES HAVE OF THE EFFECT OF PAROLE STIGMA ON THEM.
Abstract
THE PAROLEES, LIVING IN SEATTLE/KING COUNTY, WERE GIVEN CLOSED-ITEM QUESTIONNAIRES DURING FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, AND MAY 1974. PERCEPTION OF STIGMA WAS THE SOLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE, WHILE INDEPENDENT VARIABLES INCLUDED AGE, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, LIVING ARRANGEMENT, EMPLOYMENT, SCHOOL OR TRAINING STATUS, TIME ON JOB, STATUS OF PRIMARY OCCUPATION, NUMBER OF CHILDREN, MONTHS ON PAROLE, TIME SERVED, NUMBER OF MISDEMEANOR CONVICTIONS, NUMBER OF JUVENILE COMMITMENTS, NUMBER OF ARRESTS ON PAROLE, AND AGE AT FIRST ARREST. DATA ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT AGE, EMPLOYMENT STATUS, TIME ON JOB, STATUS OF OCCUPATION, AND CHILDREN ARE SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO PAROLEE PERCEPTION STIGMA. IT APPEARS THAT THE OLDER A PAROLEE IS, THE MORE STIGMA HE PERCEIVES. IN ADDITION, THE MORE EXTENSIVE HIS NEGATIVE CONTACTS WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE HIGHER DEGREE OF STIGMA THE PAROLEE WILL PERCEIVE WITH REGARD TO EDUCATION AND TRAINING. PAROLEES FEELINGS OF SELF-ESTEEM WERE FOUND TO BE NEGATIVELY RELATED TO PERCEPTIONS OF STIGMA, I.E., THE LOWER THE SELF-ESTEEM, THE HIGHER THE DEGREE OF STIGMA PERCEIVED. THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION IS PRESENTED, AS WELL AS THE RESEARCH DESIGN AND DATA PROCESSING FORMAT. QUESTIONNAIRES, FORMS, AND TABULAR DATA ARE APPENDED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED.