NCJ Number
52541
Date Published
1978
Length
82 pages
Annotation
AN EXPERIMENTAL ADULT BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM EMPHASIZING COGNITIVE SKILLS HAD NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORAL REASONING IN INCARCERATED YOUNG ADULTS.
Abstract
THIRTY-SEVEN INMATES OF THE BLAND CORRECTIONAL CENTER, BLAND, VA., VOLUNTEERED TO PARTICIPATE IN AN EXPERIMENTAL ACADEMIC PROGRAM DESIGNED TO TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM ON MORAL REASONING DEVELOPMENT IN INCARCERATED YOUNG ADULTS. THE VOLUNTEERS RANGED IN AGE FROM 17 TO 25 YEARS AND WERE FROM MIXED RACIAL, ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS, AND SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS. NONE HAD COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL. VOLUNTEERS WERE SEPARATED INTO A CONTROL GROUP, WHO RECEIVED NO INSTRUCTION, AND AN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP, WHICH ATTENDED CLASSES TAUGHT BY CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN A RELAXED AND INFORMAL SETTING. DATA WAS COLLECTED THROUGH USE OF THE STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TEST, THE DEFINING ISSUES TEST, AND THE TENNESSEE SELF-CONCEPT SCALE. THERE WAS NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF A SPECIAL MORAL DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM BE UNDERTAKEN. AN OUTLINE OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT THEORIES AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MPK)