NCJ Number
64982
Journal
Journal of Employment Counseling Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: (1974) Pages: 78-84
Date Published
1974
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE ABILITY OF 29 INDEPENDENT VARIABLES TO PREDICT THE WORK RELEASE PERFORMANCE OF FEDERAL PRISON INMATES WAS INVESTIGATED, WITH REFERENCE TO REDUCING RECIDIVISM IN FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS.
Abstract
THE PRISONER REHABILITATION ACT (P.L. 89-176) MANDATED THE WORK RELEASE CONCEPT IN 1965. THIS ACT AUTHORIZED WORK RELEASE FURLOUGHS FOR INMATES OF FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL AND PENAL INSTITUTIONS AND ALLOWED INMATES TO BE RELEASED FOR GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND RETURNED FOR CONFINEMENT AT THE END OF THE WORK DAY. STANDARDIZED PSYCHOMETRIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA WERE USED TO ASSESS THE WORK RELEASE PERFORMANCE OF 102 INMATES AT THE LA TUNA FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IN TEXAS. INMATES HAD BEEN ADMITTED TO THE WORK RELEASE PROGRAM ON OR BEFORE FEBRUARY 1, 1969, AND WERE DIVIDED INTO 69 SUCCESSFUL AND 33 UNSUCCESSFUL CATEGORIES. THE 29 INDEPENDENT VARIABLES WERE SUBGROUPED IN FIVE AREAS: INTELLIGENCE; PERSONALITY; PAST HISTORY; PRESENT HISTORY; AND AGE. THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE WAS SUCCESSFUL WORK RELEASE PERFORMANCE. MULTIPLE LINEAR REGRESSION ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT PSYCHOPATHIC DEVIANCE, LONGEST TIME ON THE JOB, AGE AT FIRST ARREST, WAGE ON WORK RELEASE, LONGEST PRIOR SENTENCE, NUMBER OF TIMES ARRESTED, AND PRESENT AGE WERE SIGNIFICANT PREDICTORS OF WORK RELEASE PERFORMANCE. INMATES IN WORK RELEASE PROGRAMS MAY NEED TO DEAL WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL FORCES AFFECTING THEIR ABILITY TO BE TRUSTED AND TRUST OTHERS. THEY MAY BE PSYCHOLOGICALLY SOUND BUT REQUIRE TRAINING IN PERSONAL, SOCIAL, AND ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT SKILLS. SUPPORTING DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)