NCJ Number
68888
Date Published
1980
Length
76 pages
Annotation
FACTORS AFFECTING AN OFFENDER'S INTERACTION WITH HIS WIFE DURING A PERIOD OF INCARCERATION ARE IDENTIFIED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COUNTERING THE DETERIORATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP ARE OFFERED.
Abstract
A SAMPLE OF MALE INMATES IN THE ST. LOUIS MEDIUM SECURITY INSTITUTION (MISSOURI) AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE THE FOCUS OF THE STUDY. A TOTAL OF 19 INMATES WHO HAD SERVED OVER 3 MONTHS AND 18 INMATES WHO HAD SERVED 3 MONTHS OR UNDER WERE INTERVIEWED, ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILIES. SOME ISSUES CONSIDERED IN THE INTERVIEWS WERE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ESTRANGEMENT AND ALIENATION IN FAMILY DYNAMICS, THE EFFECT OF THE PERIOD OF TIME OF INCARCERATION ON ALIENATION AND ESTRANGEMENT, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FREQUENCY OF COMMUNICATION AS VIEWED BY THE OFFENDER AND THE DEGREE OF ALIENATION, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TREATMENT AND ALIENATION, AND THE SERVICES OFFENDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE RECEIVING TO ASSIST THEM WITH THEIR PROBLEMS. THE ATTITUDE OF THE WIFE AND THE EFFECT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ON THE OFFENDER WERE FOUND TO BE THE PRINCIPAL FACTORS THAT DETERMINED THE COURSE OF THE OFFENDER'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS WIFE WHILE INCARCERATED. A WIFE'S ATTITUDE TOWARD HER INMATE HUSBAND AND THE FUTURE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP COULD BE POSITIVELY AFFECTED BY AN APPROPRIATE PRISON PROGRAM. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM'S IMPACT ON THE OFFENDER COULD FACILITATE FAVORABLE FAMILY ADJUSTMENT BY PROVIDING TRAINING AND SERVICES THAT WOULD FACILITATE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY UPON RELEASE AND PROVIDE RELEASE TIME FOR JOB TRAINING OR JOB PLACEMENT. FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS WERE FOUND TO DETERIORATE WITH THE LENGTH OF TIME INCARCERATION, SO POLICY SHOULD AIM TO RELEASE THE MARRIED OFFENDER AS SOON AS FEASIBLE, WITH FOLLOW-UP SERVICES. TABULAR DATA, INTERVIEW QUESTIONS, AND SIX REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.