ATTITUDES OF PRISON INMATES TOWARD THEIR VICTIMS

• NCJ Number: 45614
• Author(s): W J HENDRICKS
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 21 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: California State Dept of Corrections
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

INMATES AT THE CALIFORNIA MENS COLONY WERE SURVEYED ABOUT THEIR OFFENSES, VICTIMS, AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THEIR VICTIMS AT THE TIME OF TRIAL AND AT THE TIME OF SURVEY.

Abstract

FROM A SAMPLE OF 250 QUESTIONNAIRES DISTRIBUTED, 88 QUESTIONNAIRES, OR 35 PERCENT, WERE RETURNED. THE QUESTIONNAIRE CONSISTED OF 17 QUESTIONS REGARDING AGE AT TIME OF CONFINEMENT, GENERAL TYPE OF OFFENSE FOR WHICH CONFINED, WHETHER A VICTIM OF SOME TYPE WAS INVOLVED IN THE OFFENSE, SEX OF VICTIM(S), INJURY TO VICTIM(S), BEHAVIOR OF VICTIM(S) SEEN AS CONTRIBUTING TO OFFENSE, INMATE FEELINGS TOWARD THEIR VICTIMS, WHETHER OFFENDERS HAD BEEN VICTIMS AT SOME TIME, AND INMATE VIEWS ON ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS. MAJOR FINDINGS INCLUDED: (1) 38 PERCENT OF THE OFFENDERS REPORTED THEY WERE 20 TO 29 YEARS OF AGE WHEN COMMITTED TO PRISON; (2) 23 PERCENT OF THE OFFENSES WERE SEXUAL OFFENSES, 21 PERCENT WERE ROBBERY, AND 21 PERCENT WERE HOMICIDE; (3) 91 PERCENT OF THE SURVEY GROUP REPORTED THAT SOME OTHER PERSON WHO MIGHT BE DESCRIBED AS A VICTIM WAS INVOLVED; (4) 36 PERCENT OF THE MEN ACKNOWLEDGED MULTIPLE VICTIMS IN THE OFFENSE; (5) 34.9 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL VICTIMS WERE FEMALE, BUT OF THESE, 43.4 PERCENT WERE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL OFFENSES, 30.4 PERCENT WERE VICTIMS OF HOMICIDE, AND 26.1 PERCENT WERE VICTIMS OF ROBBERY; (6) INJURY TO THE VICTIM(S) WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY 60 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS, BUT EXACTLY HALF OF THE INMATES WHO REPORTED THERE WAS NO INJURY TO THE VICTIM WERE COMMITTED TO PRISON FOR SEX OFFENSES; (7) 64 PERCENT OF THE INMATES WHO INDICATED A VICTIM WAS INVOLVED FELT THAT THE VICTIM CONTRIBUTED TO THE OFFENSE; (8) AT THE TIME OF TRIAL, 28 PERCENT OF THE INMATES FELT SORRY FOR THE VICTIM, 25 PERCENT FELT SYMPATHETIC, AND 17 PERCENT FELT FORGIVING; (9) 77 PERCENT OF THE INMATES REPORTED THAT THEY HAD BEEN THE VICTIM IN A CRIMINAL OFFENSE, AND 41 PERCENT OF THESE STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS VICTIMIZATION OFFENSE WAS THE SAME AS THE OFFENSE WHICH LED TO THEIR COMMITMENT; AND (10) 78 PERCENT OF THE INMATES REPORTED THAT THEY FAVORED SOME TYPE OF VICTIM ASSISTANCE (33 PERCENT OF THESE RECOMMENDED COUNSELING, AND 31 PERCENT SPECIFIED FINANCIAL AID FROM THE OFFENDER). IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT AND SUPPORTING STATISTICS ARE NOT PROVIDED. (DAS)