NCJ Number
60348
Date Published
1977
Length
279 pages
Annotation
THE ATTITUDES OF FRENCH CONVICTS AND EX-CONVICTS TOWARDS THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM ARE EXPLORED.
Abstract
IN THE CONTEXT OF CURRENT RESEARCH ON THE FRENCH JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS IT, 31 CONVICTS AND EX-CONVICTS FROM THE CITY OF PARIS AND ITS SURROUNDINGS WERE INTERVIEWED USING NONDIRECTIVE TECHNIQUES. THE RESULTS REVEAL THE INFLUENCE OF DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH THE CORRECTIONAL PROCESS ON ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. FIRST, THE SAMPLE POPULATION FOCUSED MORE DIRECTLY ON IMMEDIATE CORRECTIONAL SUBJECTS (E.G., THE INVESTIGATING JUDGE, PRISON), SHOWING LITTLE INTEREST IN GENERAL SOCIAL CONDITIONS OR PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS. SECOND, AS A RESULT OF THE BACKGROUND SIMILARITY OF THE SAMPLE POPULATION, THE SPECTRUM OF ATTITUDES WAS FAR MORE LIMITED THAN THAT OF THE GENERAL POPULATION. MOST OF THE INTERVIEWEES REJECTED THE TTHERAPEUTIC GOAL OF THE CORRECTIONAL PROCESS, CALLING IT EITHER NONEXISTENT OR UNDESIRABLE. ALTHOUGH THE INTERVIEWEES ACKNOWLEDGED THE IMPRISONMENT HAS A PREVENTIVE EFFECT ON THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED IT, THEY WERE DOUBTFUL ABOUT THE PREVENTIVE EFFECT ON THE OVERALL POPULATION DUE TO THE ERRATIC AND CLASS-BIASED FUNCTIONING OF THE SYSTEM. THE CONVICTS AND EX-CONVICTS ACCEPTED THE MOST PRIMARY CONCEPT OF JUSTICE, RETRIBUTION, BUT THEY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE UNFAIRNESS OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, ALLEGING THAT IT HAS DIFFERENT TREATMENT FOR RICH AND POOR. THEY BELIEVED THAT EVEN AFTER THEIR RELEASE THEY WOULD NOT CEASE PAYING FOR THEIR OFFENSES AND THAT THEY WOULD REMAIN OUTCASTS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. OVERALL, THEY FELT THAT THE PENAL SYSTEM SELECTS ITS CLIENTS AS EXAMPLES TO THE REST OF SOCIETY, MUCH LIKE A MEDIEVAL MORALITY PLAY. THE STUDY INCLUDES FOOTNOTES AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON ATTITUDES RESEARCH AND SOCIAL CONTROL. THE SOCIAL BACKGROUND OF THE SAMPLE POPULATION AND THEIR PRISON HISTORIES ARE APPENDED. --IN FRENCH. (SAJ)