NCJ Number
49530
Date Published
1956
Length
264 pages
Annotation
A BASIC ASSUMPTION IN PENOLOGICAL PRACTICE -- THAT THE LENGTH OF TIME SERVED IN A CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION SIGNIFICANTLY INFLUENCES THE PROBABILITY OF SUCCESSFUL PAROLE -- WAS TESTED.
Abstract
THE ORIGINAL STUDY POPULATION CONSISTED OF 703 MEN PAROLED FROM THE WASHINGTON STATE REFORMATORY AND 562 PAROLED FROM THE STATE PENITENTIARY, BUT AS A RESULT OF THE LOSS OF CASES, THE FINAL SAMPLE INVOLVED 563 CASES FROM THE REFORMATORY AND 505 FROM THE PENITENTIARY. ALL WERE FOLLOWED FOR 1 YEAR AND PAROLE VIOLATIONS WERE CORRELATED WITH THE TYPE OF CRIME COMMITTED, PREVIOUS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, AND LENGTH OF TIME SERVED. IT WAS FOUND THAT LENGTH OF TIME SERVED HAD LITTLE CORRELATION WITH RECIDIVISM FOR THOSE WHO COMMITTED CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS. HOWEVER, LONGER TERMS CORRELATED WITH LOWER RECIDIVISM RATES FOR PROPERTY OFFENDERS. SEX CRIMINALS HAD EXTREMELY HIGH RECIDIVISM RATES ACROSS ALL CATEGORIES. REFORMATORY PAROLEES HAD HIGHER RECIDIVISM RATES THAN THOSE RELEASED FROM PRISON. THE HIGHEST RECIDIVISM RATES WERE AMONG REFORMATORY PAROLEES WHO HAD BEEN INCARCERATED FOR LESS THAN 1 YEAR. THE RESULTS WERE ALSO EXAMINED IN TERMS OF THE PRISONERS' PERSONAL HISTORY. THOSE WHO CAME FROM STABLE BACKGROUNDS SEEMED LESS AFFECTED BY LENGTH OF INCARCERATION. THOSE FROM DISORGANIZED BACKGROUNDS HAD LOWER RECIDIVISM RATES AFTER LONGER PERIODS OF INCARCERATION. THE STUDY DESIGN, TABLES DETAILING THE RESULTS, AND PERSONAL FACTORS CONSIDERED IN THE CRIMINAL AND SOCIAL HISTORY COMPUTATIONS ARE PROVIDED. SHORTCOMINGS OF THE STUDY ARE NOTED, ALONG WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH. A DISCUSSION OF PAROLE PREDICTION AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE TOOL, THE HISTORY AND EVALUATION OF PAROLE PREDICTION, AND THE HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF INDETERMINATE SENTENCING ARE INCLUDED, ALONG WITH A BIBLIOGRAPHY. (GLR)