NCJ Number
67846
Date Published
1980
Length
45 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY OF TWO ADULT TRAINING CENTERS IN ONTARIO, CANADA, DESCRIBES INMATES' PERCEPTIONS OF PROGRAMS, REASONS FOR TERMINATION, INMATE-STAFF RELATIONSHIPS, AND CHANGES IN INMATES' SELF-ESTEEM AND WORK ATTITUDES.
Abstract
THE BRAMPTON AND THE MAPLEHURST ADULT TRAINING CENTERS WERE DESIGNED TO TRAIN FIRST INCARCERATES, AGES 16 TO 25, WITH SENTENCES RANGING FROM 3 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS. THE PROGRAMS ARE INTENDED TO ASSIST THE INMATES IN DEVELOPING ATTITUDES, BUILDING CONFIDENCE, AND ATTAINING SKILLS FOR LATER EMPLOYMENT THROUGH A COMBINATION OF ACADEMIC, VOCATIONAL, AND LIFE SKILLS COURSES. THE SAMPLE INCLUDES 856 INMATES, AND DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM DAILY INSTITUTIONAL LOGS, SCHOOL PERSONNEL, VOCATIONAL OPINION INDEXES, SELF-ESTEEM INVENTORIES, AND DISCHARGE INTERVIEWS WITH 267 RESIDENTS CONDUCTED BY RESEARCH STAFF. EACH TRAINING CENTER UTILIZED A DIFFERENT APPROACH. BRAMPTON LEANED TOWARDS THE 'THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY' MODEL, IN WHICH OPEN COMMUNICATION BETWEEN STAFF AND RESIDENTS AND AMONG VARIOUS LEVELSS OF STAFF IS ESSENTIAL. ACCORDING TO THE INMATE'S DOCUMENTED PERCEPTION, EFFORTS TO PROVIDE THIS ENVIRONMENT WERE EFFECTIVE. MAPLEHURST EMPHASIZED THE ACQUISTION OF SKILLS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM WAS SEEN AS BENEFICIAL. NOT ALL OF THE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE 3-MONTH PROGRAMS BECAUSE OF TRANSFERS TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS WHICH RESULTED FROM PROBLEM BEHAVIOR OR COURT APPEARANCES, AND TANGIBLE EVIDENCE OF BENEFITS FROM EITHER PROGRAM WAS DIFFICULT TO DETECT. ALTHOUGH INMATES' SELF-ESTEEM SCORES INCREASED IN BOTH PROGRAM GROUPS, A SIMILAR INCREASE WAS FOUND IN A COMPARISON GROUP OF NON-PROGRAM INMATES. WORK ATTITUDE SCORES WERE SIMILAR FOR BOTH PROGRAM AND NON-PROGRAM INMATES, AND NO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES WERE EFFECTED BETWEEN ADMISSION AND DISCHARGE. HOWEVER, THE PROGRAMS DID PROVIDE MOTIVATION FOR FUTURE TRAINING FOR FOLLOWUP STUDIES WILL DETERMINE WHETHER THESE INTENTIONS WERE CARRIED OUT AND WHETHER RECIDIVISM RATES DECLINED. SINCE MANY INMATES WERE RELEASED WITHOUT ANY CONCRETE PLANS, THE STUDY SUGGESTS PRERELEASE COUNSELING SESSIONS TO INFORM THEM OF AVAILABLE COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES, AND TRANSITIONAL PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE INCOME SAVINGS DURING INSTITUTIONALIZATION AND TO HELP FIND JOBS UPON RELEASE. REFERENCES, TABLES, AND APPENDIXES CONTAINING THE VOCATIONAL OPINION INDEX AND THE QUESTIONNAIRE USED FOR INTAKE AND DISCHARGE INTERVIEWS ARE INCLUDED.