NCJ Number
13190
Date Published
1973
Length
519 pages
Annotation
ANALYSIS OF PATTERNS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL BACKGROUNDS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR YOUTHS IN AN ENGLISH BORSTAL.
Abstract
THE AUTHORS FOCUS ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CLOSED, OR SECURE, BORSTALS WHICH ON THE WHOLE DEAL WITH THE MORE RECALCITRANT OLDER ADOLESCENT OFFENDER. A DETAILED STUDY IS MADE OF THE CRIMINALITY, SOCIAL BACKGROUND AND ATTITUDES OF SOME THREE HUNDRED OFFENDERS DEALT WITH UNDER AN EXPERIMENTAL REGIME WHICH EMPHASISED INDIVIDUALIZATION OF TRAINING AT A BORSTAL IN DOVER. THAT GROUP IS COMPARED WITH OFFENDERS TRAINED PREVIOUSLY IN THE SAME INSTITUTION UNDER A TRADITIONAL REGIME, AND THE RESULTS ARE CONSIDERED BOTH IN TERMS OF RECONVICTION RATES AND ON THE BASIS OF A THOROUGH QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT DURING THE PERIOD IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TRAINING. ALTHOUGH THE OVERALL RESULTS OF THE EXPERIMENT DID NOT MATCH UP TO THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE PRACTITIONERS THEY ARE NEVERTHELESS IMPORTANT. IN PARTICULAR, THE AUTHORS' INVESTIGATION OF AND PARTICIPATION IN GUIDED CHANGE INTRODUCED INTO A PENAL REGIME IS UNIQUE IN RESEARCH LINKED WITH IMPROVING CUSTODIAL TREATMENT IN ENGLAND. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)