NCJ Number
63037
Date Published
1979
Length
155 pages
Annotation
THEORETICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS OF TWO TYPES OF SOCIOPATHIC FELONS IN THEIR POSTINSTITUTIONAL PHASES ARE EXPLORED TO PROVIDE AN INFORMATION BASE FOR SOCIOPATH FELON MANGEMENT.
Abstract
THE REPORT PRESENTS A FOLLOW-UP STUDY OF A COHORT OF 277 CONSECUTIVE ADMISSIONS TO THE OHIO PENITENTIARY. THE COHORT WAS DIVIDED INTO FOUR GROUPS: 47 HOSTILE SUBJECTS, 23 SIMPLE SUBJECTS, 66 MIXED SUBJECTS, AND 144 NONSOCIOPATHS. BASED ON THE PREDICTIONS OF TWO EARLIER STUDIES OF THE SAME GROUPS WHICH SUGGESTED THAT HOSTILE AND SIMPLE SUBJECTS WOULD HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF ARREST, THE PRESENT REPORT UNDERTAKES A FIELD STUDY COMPARING THE REAL LIFE POSTINSTITUTIONAL BEHAVIORS OF THE FOUR STUDY GROUPS OVER AN 11-YEAR PERIOD. FINDINGS CONFIRM THE EARLIER PREDICTIONS. HOSTILE AND SIMPLE SUBJECTS WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED, PROSECUTED, CONVICTED, AND INCARCERATED. MIXED SUBJECTS FOLLOWED, AND NONSOCIOPATHS WERE CLEARLY MORE LIKELY TO MAKE THE TRANSITION OUT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE STUDY GROUP VARIABLE, SOCIOPATHY, PROVED TO BE THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT ITEM OF INFORMATION THAT AN ADMINISTRATOR NEED KNOW ABOUT MANAGING A CRIMINAL CAREER, WITH 'PERCENT OF LIFE INCARCERATED' BEING THE FIRST. THUS, A DISTINCT TYPOLOGY OF ANTISOCIAL OFFENDER--THE SOCIOPATH--WITH ITS HIGHER LEVEL OF RISK, CAN BE IDENTIFIED FOR REFERENCE IN DECISIONMAKING FOR SENTENCING AND PAROLE. THE RISK TYPOLOGY IS BUT ONE ELEMENT IN THE EMPIRICAL KNOWLEDGE BASE SUPPLIED BY WELL DESIGNED INFORMATION SYSTEMS NEEDED TO GUIDE ADMINISTRATORS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CRIMINAL CAREERS. CHARTS AND TABLES ARE INCLUDED, RELEVANT RESEARCH EVALUATED, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDED. (MRK)