NCJ Number
16438
Date Published
1974
Length
214 pages
Annotation
RECOMMENDS THE CONTINUED USE OF THE PERSONALITY TEST TO EVALUATE PROBATION EFFECTIVENESS, ALTHOUGH ACKNOWLEDGING THAT SUCH TESTING DOES NOT PROVIDE DEFINITIVE PROGRAM ASSESSMENT.
Abstract
TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE JUVENILE PROBATIONERS IN THREE COUNTIES WERE TESTED ON THE JESNESS INVENTORY AND THE PERSONAL OPINION STUDY BEFORE AND AFTER THEIR PROBATION PERIODS. THE JESNESS INVENTORY IS A TRUE AND FALSE PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT DESIGNED FOR USE WITH DELINQUENT POPULATIONS IN SCORING TEN PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS. THE PERSONAL OPINION STUDY IS ALSO DESIGNED FOR USE WITH DELINQUENT GROUPS AND SCORES ON THREE PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS. THE INTENTION OF THE TESTING PROJECT WAS TO ASSESS THE UTILITY OF THESE PSYCHOLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR EVALUATING PROBATION EFFECTIVENESS. DUE TO THE PREMATURE DEPARTURE OF THE RESEARCHER, ANALYSIS OF TEST PROFILES BEFORE AND AFTER SUPERVISION WAS MADE ON ONLY THIRTY PROBATIONERS. FINAL ANALYSIS IS ANTICIAPTED BY JANUARY, 1975. TENTATIVE FINDINGS ARE THAT PROBATIONERS ARE NOT ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THEIR PROBATION EXPERIENCE, APPEAR IMPROVED ON SEVEN PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS, AND STABILIZED ON THE REMAINING ONES. OF THE THREE PERSONALITY SCALES THAT ARE DEEMED MOST VALUABLE FOR EVALUATING PROBATION EFFECTIVENESS, PROBATIONERS APPEAR IMPROVED ON ONE. STATISTICS AND TESTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT ARE INCLUDED IN THE APPENDIX. PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY