NCJ Number
80223
Journal
Indian Journal of Criminology Volume: 9 Issue: 2 Dated: (July 1981) Pages: 128-135
Date Published
1981
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Methodology and findings are presented from an Indian study that measured the emotions, self-esteem, and attitudes of female convicts, along with the integrated impact of these variables on the subjects.
Abstract
The study was conducted on the total population of women convicts (n=69) of the Indian prison Nari Bandi Niketan, Lucknow. The majority had received the death penalty for murder, with the sentence later converted to life imprisonment. Instruments used in the testing were (1) Thematic Apperception Test, used to determine the subjects' feelings of insecurity, guilt, and anxiety; (2) questionnaire given to determine subjects' self-esteem; and (3) a seven-point bipolar adjectival scale, used to assess inmates' attitudes toward authority, other inmates, and normative society. Significant levels of anxiety, insecurity, and guilt were found among the subjects. While these feelings were probably present in the subjects to some degree upon entering prison, the feelings have probably escalated under the influence of the prison environment. Feelings of helplessness, powerlessness, hopelessness, and insignificance fostered by their prison circumstances tend to spawn the low self-esteem, guilt, and anxiety measured in the testing. Attitudes toward prison authorities were generally compliant and positive, probably as a result of attempts to assuage guilt. Views of other inmates were generally positive, likely as a result of shared circumstances, and attitudes toward normative society were generally negative, probably as a reaction to the perception of society's negative view of them. The length of time in prison did not appear to affect the nature or level of subjects' feelings. Tabular data provided, along with 13 references.