NCJ Number
49235
Date Published
1971
Length
239 pages
Annotation
THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPETENCE IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS AS A DETERMINANT OF POSTPRISON ADJUSTMENT, DOMESTIC PERFORMANCE, AND COMMUNITY FUNCTIONING IS EXPLORED IN A STUDY OF 67 FEMALE PAROLEES IN OHIO.
Abstract
STUDY SUBJECTS, WHO WERE RELEASED FROM THE OHIO REFORMATORY FOR WOMEN BETWEEN NOVEMBER 1968 AND JANUARY 1970, ALL RETURNED TO LARGE URBAN COMMUNITIES IN OHIO. FOLLOWUP INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH THE WOMEN 3 MONTHS AFTER THEIR RELEASE. COMMUNITY ADJUSTMENT WAS MEASURED IN TERMS OF TENURE (LACK OF FURTHER INVOLVEMENT WITH THE LAW), DOMESTIC PERFORMANCE, AND COMMUNITY FUNCTIONING (WORK). THE PAROLEES MOST LIKELY TO BE FREE OF REINVOLVEMENT WITH THE LAW WERE OLDER, BLACK WOMEN WHO HAD COMMITTED A PERSONAL OFFENSE, HAD A FAMILY PLACEMENT, HAD EXCELLENT RELATIONSHIPS WITH SIGNIFICANT OTHERS, HAD TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR CHILDREN, WERE NOT APATHETIC, HAD POSITIVE PERCEPTIONS OF SELF AND OTHERS, DID NOT HAVE EXTREME SCORES ON A TEST OF PSYCHOPATHIC DEVIANCY, AND DID NOT HAVE UNUSUALLY ABERRANT PERSONALITY PROFILES. NONINVOLVEMENT WITH THE LAW WAS NOT A GUARANTEE OF SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY FUNCTIONING, NOR WAS RECIDIVISM NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF POOR PERFORMANCE OF DAILY DUTIES. THE MALADJUSTMENT SYNDROME -- PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTURBANCE PLUS SOCIAL AND INTERPERSONAL INADEQUACY -- APPEARS TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT INFLUENCE ON RECIDIVISM, WHEREAS CULTURAL AND STRUCTURAL EXPECTATIONS AND MAJOR ROLE INTERESTS ARE DETERMINANTS OF DOMESTIC PERFORMANCE AND COMMUNITY FUNCTIONING. SUPPORTING DATA, STUDY INSTRUMENTS, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED.