NCJ Number
57038
Journal
New England Journal of Prison Law Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: (SPRING 1978) Pages: 309-325
Date Published
1978
Length
17 pages
Annotation
INFLUENCES ON THE DECISIONS OF MALE AND FEMALE INMATES TO SEEK ASSISTANCE FROM A LEGAL SERVICES PROJECT IN WASHINGTON STATE PRISONS ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
DATA ON THE USE OF LEGAL SERVICES WERE GATHERED IN INTERVIEWS WITH 198 MALE INMATES AND 74 FEMALE INMATES. SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC, ATTITUDINAL, AND EXPERIENTIAL VARIABLES PROVED BETTER PREDICTORS OF SERVICE REQUESTS FOR FEMALE INMATES THAN FOR MALE INMATES. FEMALE INMATES WHO HAD SPENT FEWER MONTHS IN PRISON, WHO HAD USED ATTORNEYS LESS OFTEN, WHO HAD LESS EDUCATION, WHO HAD MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD LAWYERS, AND WHO WERE WHITE TENDED TO SEEK LEGAL AID MORE OFTEN THAN OTHER FEMALE INMATES. MALE PRISONERS WITH POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD LAW AND THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM WERE SLIGHTLY MORE LIKELY TO SEEK AID THAN THOSE WITH NEGATIVE ATTITUDES. THE IDEA THAT PREPRISON EXPERIENCES DETERMINE PRISONERS' RECOURSE TO LEGAL AID HOLDS TRUE FOR WOMEN BUT NOT FOR MEN. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT THE DIFFERENCES IN EXPERIENCE AND OUTLOOK BROUGHT INTO PRISON BY MEN AND WOMEN ARE INTENSIFIED BY THEIR DIFFERING PRISONIZATION EXPERIENCES, AND THAT THE METHODS BY WHICH PRISONERS ADAPT INFLUENCE THEIR DECISIONS TO SEEK LEGAL AID. THE FINDINGS HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DESIGN OF PRISON LEGAL AID PROJECTS AND FOR RECRUITMENT OF CLIENTS. OVERVIEWS OF WOMEN'S PRISONS AND THEIR INMATES ARE PROVIDED. NO TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)