NCJ Number
60354
Journal
OFFENDER REHABILITATION Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (SPRING 1979) Pages: 219-228
Date Published
1979
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH THE GENERAL PUBLIC RESPONDS TO LEGAL RESTRICTIONS (CIVIL DISABILITIES) IMPOSED ON EX-OFFENDERS IN ILLUMINATED IN THIS STUDY OF SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS IN A SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
Abstract
THIS STUDY TESTS THE HYPOTHESIS THAT REMOVING THE LEGAL SANCTIONS IMPOSED ON EX-OFFENDERS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO REINTEGRATE THEM EFFECTIVELY INTO SOCIETY. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY WERE TO SEE IF THE ATTITUDES OF COLLEGE STUDENTS ON CIVIL DISABILITIES WOULD FIT ON A CONTINUUM OF TEACHERS, MAINTENANCE MEN, AND FARMERS; WHETHER THEY WOULD TAKE SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT STANCES ON CIVIL DISABILITIES FOR WHITE-COLLAR AND CONVENTIONAL CRIMINALS; AND WHETHER THEIR ATTITUDES WOULD CHANGE AS A RESULT OF THE WATERGATE SCANDAL AND INCREASED MEDIA PUBLICITY. A TOTAL OF 1,151 QUESTIONNAIRES WERE GIVEN TO ALL INTRODUCTORY SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS FROM 1972 THROUGH 1976. THE QUESTIONNAIRE CONTAINED A CHECKLIST OF RIGHTS AND AMENITIES WHICH THE STUDENTS WERE TO ALLOCATE OR DENY TO INMATES AND EX-OFFENDERS CONVICTED OF EITHER WHITE-COLLAR OR COMMON CRIMES. STUDENTS' VIEWS WERE GENERALLY MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN THOSE OF TEACHERS, ALTHOUGH SOMEWHAT MORE LIBERAL THAN THOSE OF MAINTENANCE MEN AND FARMERS. ONLY ON 3 OF 11 ITEMS--MARRIAGE, INHERITANCE, AND LITIGATION--DID STUDENTS LEAD IN ALLOCATING RIGHTS. THEY PROVED TO BE MORE EGALITARIAN IN ALLOCATING RIGHTS TO COMMON AND WHITE-COLLAR CRIMINALS. THE STUDENTS BECAME INCREASINGLY HARSH IN ALLOCATING RIGHTS TO WHITE-COLLAR CRIMINALS OVER THE 5-YEAR STUDY PERIOD, POSSIBLY AS A RESULT OF WATERGATE. TO SUCCESSFULLY REINTEGRATED EX-OFFENDERS INTO SOCIETY, LAWS MUST BE PASSED TO EXPUNGE THE RECORDS OF EX-OFFENDERS AND TO ALLOW THEM TO MOVE FREELY TO NEW COMMUNITIES, AND PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS SHOULD BE INSTITUTED TO INCREASE SOCIETAL ACCEPTANCE OF EX-OFFENDERS. STATISTICAL TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)