PERSISTENT RECIDIVIST - HONG KONG

• NCJ Number: 58020
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 42 pages
• Corporate Author: Hong Kong Prisons Dept
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Hong Kong

Annotation

RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A HONG KONG STUDY DESIGNED TO DEVELOP A PROFILE OF THE PERSISTENT RECIDIVIST, AND STRATEGIES FOR TREATING SUCH AN OFFENDER ARE SUGGESTED.

Abstract

'PERSISTENT RECIDIVISTS' IN THIS RESEARCH REFERS TO THE GROUP OF SHORT-TERM PRISONERS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY SERVED TWO OR MORE SENTENCES OF 12 MONTHS OR LESS. IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH THAT THE PERSISTENT RECIDIVISTS WERE AN IDENTIFIABLE GROUP WITH PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTICS, THEY WERE COMPARED WITH A GROUP OF LONG-TERM PRISONERS (THOSE WITH SENTENCES OF SIX YEARS OR OVER). TWO SAMPLES WERE RANDOMLY CHOSEN, 61 SUBJECTS FROM A TOTAL OF 617 LONG-TERM PRISONERS AND 65 SUBJECTS FROM A TOTAL OF 653 SHORT-TERM PRISONERS. USING DATA FROM PERSONAL INTERVIEWS, OBSERVATIONS, PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORDS, AND OFFICIAL RECORDS, INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED ON SUBJECTS' PERSONAL BACKGROUND, RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILY, INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME, INSTITUTIONAL ADJUSTMENT, ATTITUDES TOWARD SOCIETY AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS. STATISTICAL TESTS USED TO ANALYZE THE DATA WERE THE STUDENT'S T TEST, PEARSON'S PRODUCT-MOMENT CORRELATION COEFFICIENT (R), THE F(1, N-2) TEST, AND THE CHI-SQUARE TEST. RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE PERSISTENT RECIDIVIST IS A MALADJUSTED PERSON WHO IS UNSOPHISTICATED IN HIS SOCIAL SKILLS, CANNOT FORM MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS, AND IS UNABLE TO HANDLE LIFE PROBLEMS RATIONALLY. HE DOES NOT LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE OR PUNISHMENT AND ALWAYS SEEKS IMMEDIATE INSTINCTUAL GRATIFICATION. HE IS EASILY FRUSTRATED AND CANNOT TOLERATE HARDSHIP. HE ADHERES TO FEW MORAL PRINCIPLES, AND CRIME IS VIEWED AS A WAY OF LIFE; HOWEVER, HE USUALLY BELIEVES HE DESERVES THE PUNISHMENT IMPOSED ON HIM. FROM THE PROFILE DEVELOPED, A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM FOR THE TREATMENT OF PERSISTENT RECIDIVISTS SHOULD INCLUDE TRAINING IN SOCIAL SKILLS, REMOVAL FROM DESTRUCTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES, TREATMENT FOR DRUG ADDICTION, AND THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE RECIDIVIST'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FAMILY. A POSTRELEASE PROGRAM SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO FACILITATE REINTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY. (RCB)