NCJ Number
57632
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1978) Pages: 101-106
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
A SAMPLE OF 610 MALE INMATES WAS SURVEYED TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY SUPPORT 'FLAT TIME' SENTENCING, 'DAY TO DAY' GOOD TIME, VOLUNTARY TREATMENT, AND THE ELIMINATION OF PAROLE.
Abstract
RESPONSES OF INMATES IN A PLAINS STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION SHOWED THAT A MAJORITY SUPPORTED ALL FOUR PROPOSALS. ABOUT 76 PERCENT SUPPORTED THE FLAT-TIME PROPOSAL, 95 PERCENT FAVORED 'DAY-TO-DAY' GOOD TIME, 85 PERCENT FAVORED VOLUNTARY TREATMENT, AND ABOUT 65 PERCENT SUPPORTED THE ELIMINATION OF PAROLE. WHILE A MAJORITY OF INMATES SUPPORT ALL FOUR PROPOSALS, THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT VARIES SUBSTANTIALLY FROM A LOW OF 65 PERCENT ON THE PAROLE PROPOSAL TO A HIGH OF 95 ON GOOD TIME PROPOSAL. SUBSTANTIAL VARIABILITY ALSO EXISTS AMONG INMATE RESPONSES ON AT LEAST TWO PROPOSALS. WHILE 76 PERCENT OF THE RESPONSES ON THE FLAT-TIME PROPOSAL ARE FAVORABLE, ALMOST 16 PERCENT ARE AGAINST FLAT-TIME SENTENCING. A SIMILAR DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONSES EXISTS ON THE PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE PAROLE, WITH 65 PERCENT IN FAVOR AND 21 PERCENT AGAINST THE PROPOSAL. THE INDICATORS, AMOUNT OF TIME SERVED AND PAST EXPERIENCE IN THE PRISON SYSTEM WERE USED TO EXPLAIN THIS VARIABILITY. HOWEVER, BOTH INDICATORS CORRELATED ONLY WEAKLY WITH THE RESPONSES TO THE PROPOSALS. THE STUDY REVEALS THAT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE INMATES THE FOUR PROPOSALS ARE ATTRACTIVE ALTERNATIVES TO THE PRESENT SYSTEMS, BUT THE VARIABLES OF AMOUNT OF TIME SERVED AND PAST EXPERIENCE IN THE PRISON SYSTEM CANNOT ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN THEIR SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSALS. STUDY DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.