NCJ Number
31030
Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND PENOLOGY Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1975) Pages: 355-366
Date Published
1975
Length
12 pages
Annotation
DISCUSSION OF THE REHABILITATIVE POTENTIAL OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC CONSCIOUSNESS BY PRISONERS.
Abstract
THE ARTICLE NOTES THAT ANTI-CRIMINAL IDENTITIES CURRENTLY FOSTERED BY CORRECTIONAL WORKERS ARE LIMITED IN THAT THEY REQUIRE OFFENDERS TO ACCEPT THE ESTABLISHED SOCIAL ORDER AND THE LOW POSITION IN THAT ORDER WHICH THEY OCCUPY. SUCH IDENTITIES ARE NOT CONDUCIVE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-RESPECT AND ARE THUS NOT READILY ADOPTED. RACIAL-ETHNIC IDENTITIES DO NOT SUFFER THIS LIMITATION. THE PAPER ARGUES THAT RACIAL-ETHNIC AWARENESS IN PRISONS IS INDEED DESTROYING CRIMINAL VALUES AND ORIENTATIONS. FURTHERMORE, IT ARGUES THAT RACIAL-ETHNIC CONSCIOUSNESS IN PRISONS DOES NOT NECESSARILY PROMOTE INTER-RACIAL CONFLICT, AND MAY IN FACT PROMOTE INTERRACIAL HARMONY. FINALLY, SOME SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERED AS TO HOW CORRECTIONAL WORKERS MIGHT EXPLOIT THE REHABILITATIVE POTENTIAL OF RACIAL-ETHNIC IDENTIFICATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)