PROBLEMS OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION AS A PREMISE FOR THERAPY IN A PENITENTIARY SETTING

• NCJ Number: 64438
• Journal: RASSEGNA DI CRIMINOLOGIA Volume: 6 Issue: 1-2 Dated: (1975) Pages: 83-106
• Author(s): F DEFAZIO; C CIPOLLI
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 24 pages
• Corporate Author: Rassegna di Criminologia
• Publication Format: Article
• Country: Italy

Annotation

THE IMPORTANCE OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION AS A TOOL FOR EVALUATING INMATE RESPONSES TO REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS WAS TESTED BY MEANS OF INTERVIEWS WITH CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCHERS IN AN ITALIAN CORRECTIONAL SETTING.

Abstract

A SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED IN AN ITALIAN MINIMUM SECURITY (WORK CAMP) FACILITY BY MEANS OF INTERVIEWS BETWEEN INMATES AND A TEAM OF CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCHES, CONSISTING OF SOCIAL WORKERS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND PSYCHIATRISTS. THE RESULTS WERE QUANTITATIVELY TABULATED AND INCORPORATED INTO A STANDARD QUESTIONNAIRE. A TOTAL OF 50 INMATES OF A WORK CAMP WERE GIVEN A MINIMUM OF THREE INTERVIEWS EACH WITH SOCIAL WORKERS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND PSYCHIATRISTS IN AN EFFORT TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF REHABILITATION PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY PSYCHOTHERAPY. THE MINIMUM SECURITY SETTING WAS CHOSEN TO ALLOW FOR MORE SPONTANEOUS, AND THEREFORE MORE RELIABLE, RESPONSES TO THE CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCHERS, SINCE THE RELATIVE FREEDOM ENJOYED BY THE SUBJECTS MINIMIZED THEIR PERCEPTION OF THEMSELVES AS CAPTIVE. ONLY THE FIRST TWO INTERVIEWS WERE MANDATORY, BUT THE THIRD HAD TO BE REQUESTED BY THE INMATES. THE VERBAL RESPONSES GIVEN BY THE INMATES TO THE INTERVIEWERS AND THEIR BEHAVIOR SHOWED THAT THEY WERE ANXIOUS TO ESTABLISH A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH SOCIAL WORKERS, BECAUSE THEY HAD POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS OF RECEIVING THE LATTER'S SUPPORT IN SECURING ALL KINDS OF FUTURE FINANCIAL AND FAMILY ASSISTANCE (FOR WHICH FAVORABLE REPORTS FROM THE SOCIAL WORKERS WERE NEEDED). THESE UTILITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS WERE NOT PRESENT WITH REGARD TO THE PSYCHOLOGISTS AND THE PSYCHIATRISTS, SINCE THE INMATES DID NOT SEE ANY PRACTICAL ADVANTAGE FOR THEMSELVES IN BEING INTERVIEWED BY THEM; THE LACK OF MOTIVATION IN ESTABLISHING A CLOSE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE RESEARCHERS WAS REFLECTED IN THE GUARDED VERBAL RESPONSES AND IN THE OFTEN NONCOMMITTAL BEHAVIOR OF THE SUBJECTS. THE TABULATED RESULTS OF THE INTERVIEWS AND THE QUESTIONNAIRE ANSWERED BY THE RESEARCHERS ARE INCORPORATED IN THE TEXT. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. --IN ITALIAN. (LGR)