NCJ Number
44123
Journal
Bewaehrungshilfe Volume: 24 Issue: 2 Dated: (1977) Pages: 129-140
Date Published
1977
Length
12 pages
Annotation
A SURVEY OF FORMER PROBATIONERS TREATED AT THE EXPERIMENTAL AND TRIAL INSTITUTION OF SOCIAL THERAPY IN ERLANGEN, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY, WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GROUP THERAPY.
Abstract
QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO 26 FORMER PROBATIONERS, ALL ADULT MALES, TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL THERAPY ON THEIR LIVES AFTER RELEASE. QUESTIONS CONCERNED EMPLOYMENT, RESIDENCE, RELATIONSHIPS AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES. AMONG THE 15 WHO RESPONDED, 2 ARE AGAIN IN PRISON AND REPORTED PROBLEMS IN ALL AREAS OF THEIR LIVES, ESPECIALLY CONFLICTS WITH COLLEAGUES AT WORK, DIFFICULTIES BECAUSE OF THEIR STATUS AS EX-CONVICTS, FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, AND DIFFICULTIES KEEPING THE SAME JOBS. BOTH BELIEVED, HOWEVER, THAT THERAPY HAD BEEN HELPFUL. THE 10 RESPONDENTS WHO WERE STILL FREE AT THE TIME OF THE SURVEY ALSO CONSIDERED THERAPY TO HAVE BEEN HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY WITH PROBLEMS IN RELATIONSHIPS AND SOCIAL SITUATIONS. THE RESULTS WERE LESS POSITIVE IN REGARD TO EMPLOYMENT AND RESIDENCE, CRUCIAL FACTORS IN THE RESOCIALIZATION PROCESS. RESPONDENTS RATED VARIOUS TYPES OF THERAPY. INDIVIDUAL THERAPY, TRAINING GROUPS FOR PROBATIONERS, AND OUTSIDE WORK WERE MOST HIGHLY RATED, WHILE GROUP THERAPY AND CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION WERE RATED LOWER. INTENSIVE THERAPY WAS NOT VERY HELPFUL FOR THOSE WITH LONG POLICE RECORDS AND THE RESULTING PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE SHORTCOMINGS OF GROUP THERAPY AND AN EXPANSION OF PROBATIONERS' CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD ARE RECOMMENDED. ALL MEN IN THE SURVEY HAD BEEN QUESTIONED PREVIOUSLY WHILE STILL PROBATIONERS AND RESULTS OF BOTH SURVEYS CONFIRM THE LONG-LASTING POSITIVE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL THERAPY. HOWEVER, A RELATIVELY STABLE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT MUST BE PRESENT AFTER RELEASE, AND THE PROBATIONER MUST PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN HIS OWN THERAPY. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. --IN GERMAN.