NCJ Number
46653
Journal
Research Bulletin Issue: 5 Dated: (1978) Pages: 12-24
Editor(s)
R SNOW
Date Published
1978
Length
13 pages
Annotation
THE PRISON POPULATION OF THE SOUTHEASTERN REGION OF ENGLAND IS CHARACTERIZED USING DATA FROM PRISON RECORDS OFFICES AND FROM THE CRIMINAL RECORDS OFFICE CONCERNING 811 RANDOMLY SELECTED INMATES IN 21 PRISONS.
Abstract
THE AIM OF THE STUDY WAS TO IDENTIFY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRISONERS, IN TERMS OF THEIR SOCIAL AND PERSONAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR OFFENDING HISTORIES, TO SEE WHETHER THIS INDICATED THE NEED FOR ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT OR FACILITIES IN CUSTODY OR UPON RELEASE. ONE-THIRD OF THE INMATES STUDIES WERE SERVING SHORT FIXED SENTENCES OF 18 MONTHS OR LESS AND 40 PERCENT WERE SERVING MEDIUM FIXED SENTENCES (1.5 TO 4 YEARS). ONLY 5 PERCENT WERE SERVING LIFE SENTENCES. THE INMATE POPULATION CONSISTED PREDOMINATELY OF YOUNGER MEN; 52 PERCENT WERE 21 TO 29 YEARS OLD, 28 PERCENT 30 TO 39, AND 17 PERCENT OVER 40. COMPOSITE ASSESSMENTS OF CRIMINALITY INDICATED THAT 13 PERCENT WERE PETTY OFFENDERS; 17 PERCENT WERE MINOR OFFENDERS (I.E., THOSE WHO COMMITTED RELATIVELY TRIVIAL OFFENSES AGAINST PROPERTY OR PERSONS BUT WITH LITTLE FINANCIAL GAIN); 35 PERCENT WERE AVERAGE OFFENDERS WHO ENGAGED PRIMARILY IN PROPERTY-RELATED OFFENSES; 14 PERCENT WERE SERIOUS PROPERTY OFFENDERS WHO HAD ENGAGED IN SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL ROBBERIES AND BURGLARIES; 17 PERCENT WERE SERIOUS OFFENDERS AGAINST PERSONS WHO COMMITTED MURDER, MANSLAUGHTER, OR ASSAULT; AND 4 PERCENT HAD COMMITTED SERIOUS OFFENSES AGAINST BOTH PROPERTY AND PERSONS. APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF THE SAMPLE EXHIBITED NO SIGNS OF SIGNIFICANT PERSONALITY DISORDER, ABOUT 46 PERCENT HAD UNCLEAR DIAGNOSES, AND 21 PERCENT WERE ASSESSED AS MENTALLY DISORDERED. IN THIS GROUP DISORDERS INCLUDED, IN ORDER IF INCIDENCE, PERSONALITY DISORDER/PSYCHOPATHY, NEUROSIS, ALCOHOL/DRUG ABUSE, PSYCHOSIS, AND MENTAL RETARDATION OR EPILEPSY. ROUGHLY 30 PERCENT OF THE OFFENDERS WERE FOUND TO BE HOMELESS OR WITHOUT COMMUNITY TIES. A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE SAMPLE HAD BEEN EMPLOYED IN UNSKILLED JOBS; 77 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE LEFT SCHOOL BY THE AGE OF 15. THOSE INMATES IN UNSKILLED OCCUPATIONS TENDED ALSO TO HAVE UNSTABLE WORK RECORDS OUTSIDE PRISON BUT TENDED TO HAVE FAVORABLE WORK REPORTS IN PRISON. THE MAJORITY OF INMATES HAD EITHER VAGUE OR NO PLANS FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT. BASED ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS SAMPLE, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF THE INMATES COULD HAVE BEEN SAFELY AND SUCCESSFULLY DIVERTED TO ALTERNATIVE NONCUSTODIAL FACILITIES OR PROGRAMS. FINDINGS ALSO POINT TO THE NEED FOR GREATER EMPHASIS ON VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN REGION. A 2-YEAR FOLLOWUP OF 575 INMATES RELEASED INDICATED THAT 54 PERCENT WERE RECONVICTED. THE MAJORITY OF THESE WERE HOMELESS OR MENTALLY DISORDERED. REFERENCES AND EXTENSIVE TABULAR DATA ARE ALSO PROVIDED. (JAP)