CORRELATES OF RECIDIVISM AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT AMONG TRAINING-SCHOOL DELINQUENTS

• NCJ Number: 54244
• Journal: Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1978) Pages: 317-328
• Author(s): J M ZARB
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 12 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Ontario Ministry of Correctional Services
• Corporate Author: Canadian Psychological Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: Canada
• Note: UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

THE BEHAVIOR OF INCARCERATED DELINQUENT BOYS IN CANADA BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER RELEASE FROM TRAINING SCHOOL WAS EXAMINED TO IDENTIFY PREDICTORS OF POSTTRAINING SCHOOL RECIDIVISM AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT.

Abstract

DESCRIPTIVE METHODS OF REPORTING BEHAVIOR AND ACTIVITIES, RATHER THAN ATTITUDINAL MEASURES, WERE USED TO ASSESS THE BEHAVIOR OF DELINQUENTS IN A VARIETY OF ROLE CONTEXTS. ANOTHER FOCUS OF THE INVESTIGATION WAS A COMPARISON OF INTERPERSONAL RESPONSE PATTERNS OF DELINQUENTS WITH THOSE OF THEIR PARENTS. THREE MAJOR SETS OF DATA WERE COLLECTED AND ANALYZED: SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT MEASURES (DEPENDENT VARIABLES), DELINQUENT AND PARENT CHARACTERISTIC MEASURES (INDEPENDENT OR PREDICTOR VARIABLES), AND DELINQUENT AND PARENT INTERPERSONAL COPING MEASURES (USED IN CORRELATION ANALYSIS). BOTH PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE AND THE NUMBER OF PREINCARCERATION NONDELINQUENT BEST FRIENDS PROVED TO BE PARTICULARLY STRONG PREDICTORS OF POSTINCARCERATION DELINQUENCY. A THIRD PREDICTOR, TOTAL INTERPERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS OF DELINQUENTS, WAS LESS STRONG THOUGH STILL SIGNIFICANT. PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE AND PREINCARCERATION SCHOOL PERFORMANCE WERE SIGNIFICANT PREDICTORS OF PLACEMENT SETTING ADJUSTMENT. PREINCARCERATION SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND PERCENT STRUCTURED LEISURE TIME WERE SIGNIFICANT PREDICTORS OF POSTINCARCERATION NONDELINQUENT BEST FRIENDS WAS THE NUMBER OF NONDELINQUENT BEST FRIENDS IN THE PRETRAINING SCHOOL COMMUNITY. DELINQUENTS WHOSE FATHERS WERE AGGRESSIVE ON THE BASIS OF THEIR SONS' REPORTS TENDED TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN DELINQUENTS WITH NONAGGRESSIVE FATHERS ACCORDING TO TRAINING SCHOOL STAFF. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND IN THE FREQUENCY OF AFFECTIONATE RESPONSE BETWEEN DELINQUENTS WITH SOMEWHAT AFFECTIONATE PARENTS AND DELINQUENTS WITH UNAFFECTIONATE PARENTS. THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED WITH REGARD TO THE POSTINCARCERATION DELINQUENCY RATE, SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT, AND INTERPESONAL EFFECTIVENESS BETWEEN DELINQUENTS AND PARENTS. SUPPORTING DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)