NCJ Number
59188
Date Published
1977
Length
13 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT EXAMINES AGE GROUP DIFFERENCES REGARDING A WIDE VARIETY OF FACTORS CHOSEN FROM DATA COLLECTED FOR A STUDY OF RECIDIVISM IN ONTARIO, CANADA.
Abstract
THE STUDY SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 740 FIRST INCARCERATES ADMITTED TO THE GUELPH CORRECTIONAL CENTER IN ONTARIO. INFORMATION WAS COLLECTED FROM INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED SHORTLY AFTER THE INMATES WERE ADMITTED TO GUELPH AND FROM INSTITUTIONAL FILES AFTER THEIR RELEASE. PARTICULAR ATTENTION WAS PAID TO THE 16- AND 17-YEAR-OLDS BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGH RECIDIVISM RATES AND THEIR RECENT ENTRY INTO LEGAL ADULTHOOD. THE BREAKDOWN FOR EACH VARIABLE WAS EXAMINED FOR EACH OF FOUR AGE GROUPS. FINDINGS SHOWED TWO DISTINCT GROUPINGS IN THE SAMPLE. ONE GROUP, PRIMARILY THE YOUNGER INMATES, REPORTED BACKGROUNDS WHICH FEATURED NUMEROUS LEGAL CONTACTS, FAMILY INSTABILITY, AND LOW ACHIEVEMENT IN SCHOOL AND WORK. THE OTHER GROUP, MAINLY OLDER, SHOWED MORE STABLE AND PRODUCTIVE BACKGROUNDS AND HAD FAR LESS EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL PASTS THAN THE YOUNGER GROUP. MANY IN THE 16- AND 17-YEAR-OLD GROUP WERE CONTINUING A HISTORY OF INSTITUTIONALIZATION STARTED IN TRAINING SCHOOL. THE EXISTENCE OF TWO DISTINCT GROUPS HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMMING, INVOLVING THE WISDOM OF SENDING THESE DIVERSE GROUPS TO THE SAME INSTITUTION. PROGRAMS DESIGNED FOR A YOUNG INMATE WITH AN EXTENSIVE HISTORY OF DELINQUENCY AND NEGLIGIBLE WORK EXPERIENCE WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR AN OLDER, FIRST-TIME OFFENDER WHO HAD BEEN IN THE WORK FORCE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. STUDY FINDINGS ALSO SHED LIGHT ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE AND RECIDIVISM. A TROUBLED BACKGROUND AND MORE EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL INVOLVEMENT ARE MORE LIKELY THAN AGE TO BE DETERMINING FACTORS IN THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM. TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MJW)