PREINSTITUTIONAL CRIMINAL OFFENDER TYPES AND PAROLE PERFORMANCE - A STUDY OF A TYPOLOGY

• NCJ Number: 49214
• Author(s): G O ASBURY
• Date Published: 1971
• Length: 104 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

A PREINSTITUTIONAL PROFILE OF ADULT MALE OFFENDERS WAS DEVELOPED AND RELATED TO PAROLE PERFORMANCE IN AN EFFORT TO DISCOVER A COMBINATION OF VARIABLES THAT WOULD GUIDE FURTHER RESEARCH ON RECIDIVISM AND PAROLE PERFORMANCE.

Abstract

THE GENERAL PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DEVELOP A PREINSTITUTIONAL CRIMINAL OFFENDER TYPOLOGY, USE IT TO DESCRIBE THE BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS OF A SAMPLE OF ADULT CONVICTED FELONS, AND TO RELATE THESE OFFENDER TYPES TO PAROLE PERFORMANCE. THE RESEARCH WAS PART OF A LARGER STUDY OF ADULT FELONS COMMITTED TO THE WASHINGTON STATE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM. THE GROUP SELECTED FOR STUDY CONSISTED OF A CONVENIENCE SAMPLE OF 514 ADULT FELONS COMMITTED BETWEEN JUNE 1965 AND JANUARY 1966. BOTH A QUESTIONNAIRE AND THE STANDARD ADMINISTRATIVE ADMISSION FORM USED BY THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM WERE EMPLOYED TO COLLECT THE DATA. IT WAS GENERALLY ANTICIPATED THAT THOSE ADULT FELONS CHARACTERIZED BY A PARTICULAR CRIMINAL OFFENDER TYPE OR CONFIGURATION OF VARIABLES WOULD ALSO BE CHARACTERIZED BY A DISTINGUISHABLE SET OF SOCIAL AND BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS. ADDITIONALLY, IT WAS ANTICIPATED THAT EACH PREINSTITUTIONAL CRIMINAL OFFENDER TYPE COULD BE CHARACTERIZED BY A DIFFERENTIAL IN PAROLE PERFORMANCE FROM THOSE ADULT FELONS WHO WERE DISCHARGED FROM A STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION. THE ANALYSIS OF THE DATA WAS DIVIDED INTO THREE PHASES: (1) A CONSTRUCTION AND DESCRIPTION OF AN OFFENDER TYPOLOGY, (2) A DESCRIPTION AND COMPARISON OF BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS FOR EACH OFFENDER TYPE, AND (3) A DESCRIPTION AND COMPARISON OF PAROLE PERFORMANCE OR STATUS OVER TIME BY OFFENDER TYPE. IT WAS FOUND THAT A MODEST STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE EXISTS AMONG PREINSTITUTIONAL CRIMINAL OFFENDER TYPES WITH RESPECT TO THE SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS, AND THAT THE PREINSTITUTIONAL CRIMINAL OFFENDER TYPOLOGY DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR ANY STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN PAROLE PERFORMANCE. A REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. PORTIONS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE ARE INTERSPERSED WITHIN THE TEXT, ALONG WITH GRAPHIC AND TABULAR DATA. WASHINGTON STATE ORDER FORMS FOR PAROLE SUSPENSION AND CANCELLATION ARE APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--GLR)