RECIDIVISM AMONG WOMEN PAROLEES - A LONG TERM SURVEY

• NCJ Number: 7030
• Author(s): J E BERECOCHEA; C SPENCER
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 67 pages
• Corporate Author: California State Dept of Corrections
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

EFFECTS OF AGENCY DECISION-MAKING ON LONG TERM PAROLE OUTCOME AMONG CALIFORNIA'S WOMEN PAROLEES.

Abstract

OF THE TEST GROUP OF 626 WOMEN RELEASED IN 1960 AND 1961, FORTY PERCENT WERE RETURNED TO PRISON OVER AN EIGHT YEAR PERIOD - A RATE ALMOST TWICE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. OF THIS GROUP, 80 PERCENT WERE RETURNED TO PRISON FOR PAROLE RULE VIOLATIONS, RATHER THAN THE COMMISSION OF NEW FELONIES, AND HALF WERE MULTIPLE RETURNEES. RETURNEES INCREASED THE ORIGINAL INCARCERATION TIME AND COSTS BY 44 PERCENT, OF WHICH TWO-THIRDS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO RULE VIOLATORS. RULE VIOLATORS WERE CHARACTERIZED BY NARCOTICS USE, A PRIOR COMMITMENT RECORD, MINORITY GROUP MEMBERSHIP, AND COMPARATIVELY LOW EDUCATIONAL AND INTELLIGENCE TEST SCORES. ADDITIONALLY, IT WAS FOUND THAT THESE CHARACTERISTICS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT, INDICATING THAT THEY WERE VIEWED BY THE AGENCY AS PROGNOSTICATORS OF NEW CRIMINALITY. THUS, THE STUDY'S TENTATIVE CONCLUSION WAS THAT THE HIGH RECIDIVISM RATE WAS A FUNCTION OF AGENCY DECISIONS BASED ON FACTORS UNRELATED TO THE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR OF THE PAROLEE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.