NCJ Number
35247
Date Published
1975
Length
157 pages
Annotation
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS THE RESULTS OF TWO STUDIES: AN EXAMINATION OF CHARACTERISTICS AND TREATMENT OF HOMELESS OFFENDERS IN LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, AND A STUDY OF THE ATTITUDES AND PROBLEMS OF SHORT-TERM PRISONERS.
Abstract
THE FIRST STUDY AIMED TO EXAMINE SAMPLES OF HOMELESS OFFENDERS FROM LIVERPOOL FROM THE TIME OF THER APPEARANCE IN COURT. THE REPORT DESCRIBES THESE OFFENDERS AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN THE SYSTEM; IT ANALYSES SOME ASPECTS OF THE SENTENCING PROCESS AND LOOKS AT THE OFFENDERS' RESPONSES TO THE SENTENCES PASSED. IT DESCRIBES THE ROLE OF THE PROBATION OFFICER IN RECOMMENDING FOR OR AGAINST PROBATION, AND DISCUSSES HIS ATTEMPTS TO HELP HOMELESS MEN PLACED UNDER SUPERVISION. WHERE OFFENDERS WERE SENT TO PRISON REFERENCE IS MADE TO THEIR ONGOING PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS AND THE ROLES OF THE PRISON WELFARE OFFICER AND THE PROBATION OFFICER. THE REPORT SHOWS THAT THOSE MEN WITH REAL PROBLEMS OF HOMELESSNESS (AS DISTINCT FROM THOSE WHO, THOUGH LISTED AS BEING OF NO FIXED ABODE, HAVE A HOME TO RETURN TO) PRESENT CONTINUAL DIFFICULTIES TO THE SENTENCERS, TO THE PROBATION AND AFTER-CARE SERVICE AND TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE APPARENTLY INTRACTABLE NATURE OF THEIR HOMELESSNESS. THE REPORT SUGGEST THAT DECISION-MAKING ABOUT HOMELESS OFFENDERS TENDS TO BE AMBIVALENT, AND THAT THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OF HELP IS LARGELY UNRELATED EITHER TO THE OFFENDERS' NEEDS OR TO THE LIKELIHOOD OF RESOLVING THEIR PRESENT OR UNDERLYING PROBLEMS. THUS THE PROGRESS OF HOMLESS OFFENDERS THROUGH THE PENAL SYSTEM TENDS TO REFLECT A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE DESIRE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS AND THE AWARENESS OF MOST PARTICIPANTS THAT SUCH AN OBJECTIVE IS PROBABLY UNATTAINABLE. THE SECOND STUDY IS BASED ON INTERVIEWS WITH 120 MEN SERVING SHORT SENTENCES IN THREE MIDLAND PRISONS IN ENGLAND. IT EXAMINES THE SHORT-TERM PRISONERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR PROBLEMS, AND PRESENTS INFORMATION ON THE KIND OF HELP PRISONERS WANTED FROM PRISON WELFARE OFFICERS IN PRISON AND FROM PROBATION OFFICERS OUTSIDE OF PRISON. IT ALSO ASSESSES WHETHER THE PRISONERS WERE SATISFIED WITH THE HELP THEY RECEIVED FROM PRISON WELFARE DEPARTMENTS. FINALLY, IT EXAMINES HOW PRISONERS ATTITUDES HAVE AFFECTED THE WORKINGS OF THE PRISON WELFARE DEPARTMENTS AND CONSIDERS THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS FOR CASEWORK IN PRISONS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)