NCJ Number
68824
Date Published
1979
Length
468 pages
Annotation
THE RESULTS OF SOCIAL THERAPY TREATMENT ADMINISTERED OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD TO THE ADULT, RECIDIVISM-PRONE INMATES OF AN EXPERIMENTAL WEST GERMAN INSTITUTION WERE EVALUATED BY COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS METHODS.
Abstract
THIS DOCTORAL DISSERTATION COMPARES THE RESULTS OF PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL THERAPY TREATMENT ADMINISTERED TO THE INMATES AT AN EXPERIMENTAL (PILOT) CORRECTIONAL FACILITY WITH RESULTS OBTAINED AT TWO TRADITIONAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, OPERATED IN A CUSTODIAL MANNER. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BOTH TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS WAS MEASURED IN TERMS OF POSITIVE MODIFICATIONS IN THE BEHAVIORAL AND PERSONALITY TRAITS OF THE SURVEY SUBJECTS AND THE CONTROL GROUPS. THE FIRST PART OF THE STUDY REVIEWS CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES ON THE GENESIS OF CRIMINALITY AND OFFERS SOME EMPIRICAL FINDINGS BEARING ON THE TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS. THE SECOND SECTION DESCRIBES SOME EXISTING MODEL INSTITUTIONS IN WEST GERMANY AND IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES, WHICH ARE OPERATED ACCORDING TO PROGRESSIVE PENAL PHILOSOPHIES, AND OFFERS AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF THEIR METHODS AND RESULTS. PART THREE, DEVOTED TO THE MAIN TOPIC OF THE BOOK, DESCRIBES THE METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY CONDUCTED AT THE THREE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS UNDER DISCUSSION, I.E., THE EXPERIMENTAL (PILOT) FACILITY AND THE TWO TRADITIONAL PRISONS. DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM BOTH CLIENTS (INMATES) AND THERAPISTS ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SOCIAL THERAPY TREATMENT AND OF THE FACILITY AS A WHOLE. THE EFFECTIVENESS CRITERIA WAS THE FAVORABLE IMPACT OF THE TREATMENT ON THE SOCIAL RELATIONS OF THE RESPONDENTS WITH ONE ANOTHER, WITH THE INSTITUTION'S STAFF, AND WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD. THE RESULTING MODIFICATION (IF ANY) OF THE SUBJECT'S PERSONALITY TRAITS WAS MEASURED BY PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS. THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE TARGET GROUP AND THE CONTROL GROUPS PRODUCED DATA WHICH WERE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO DESCRIPTIVE VARIABLES SUCH AS FAMILY, EMPLOYMENT, AND CRIMINAL HISTORIES, AS WELL AS IN TERMS OF THE SUBJECTS' PERCEPTIONS OF SOCIAL THERAPY ITSELF (WILLINGNESS OR UNWILLINGNESS TO RECEIVE TREATMENT). IN GENERAL, THE RESPONDENTS SHOWED POSITIVE RESULTS FROM THEIR TREATMENT AT THE EXPERIMENTAL FACILITY IN THE AREAS OF PERSONALITY ADJUSTMENT AND PERSONAL PROBLEM SOLUTIONS IN COMPARISON WITH THE CONTROL GROUPS AT THE TRADITIONAL PRISONS. THE IMPACT OF THE SOCIAL THERAPY TREATMENT UPON THE MUTUAL RELATIONSHIPS OF THE INMATES WAS ALSO DESCRIBED AS POSITIVE. ON THE OTHER HAND, NO MEASURABLE IMPACT WAS SHOWN IN INMATE-STAFF RELATIONS. PERCEPTIONS OF THE FACILITY AS A WHOLE WERE MIXED, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE WORK THE INMATES HAD TO PERFORM THERE AT VERY MEAGER REMUNERATION. IN CONCLUSION, THE STUDY DISCLAIMS ANY SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE FINDINGS AT THE TIME OF WRITING (1979) BECAUSE OF THE INSUFFICIENT NUMBERS OF SUBJECTS WHO HAD RECEIVED THE SOCIAL THERAPY TREATMENT UNDER SCRUTINY. AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. --IN GERMAN.