NCJ Number
75157
Date Published
1980
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Suggestions for improving the interaction of correctional institutions and aftercare agencies and for helping ex-inmates adjust to the social environment are presented in this Japanese paper.
Abstract
Improved communications between correctional institutions and aftercare agencies leading to effectively transferring offenders from the institution to the community may be attained in several ways. These include publishing mutual activities in the professional journals of each occupational field, having correctional and agency staff attend meetings and training programs together, undertaking joint research efforts to improve treatment programs in both fields, and exchanging personnel for short periods of time. Environmental adjustment efforts should begin early before inmates are released. Probation offficers should investigate and attempt to improve, if possible, the family situation, the attitudes of those connected to the family and of victims, and the offender's postrelease plans. Consideration should also be given to the offender's life history and to the motives and causes of the crime. These investigations can be facilitated if correctional institutions forward their own investigation reports to the probation offices as early as possible after the incarceration of offenders. In addition, probation officers must give special attention to differences in inmates' perceptions of society and society as it really is, and to mitigating restraints on family-member and other contacts in the institutions. Guardians and relatives should be instructed on the importance of environmental adjustment and should be encouraged to cooperate with probation staff.