GOAL ATTAINMENT SCALING AS A METHOD OF TREATMENT FOR OFFENDERS PLACED ON PROBATION

• NCJ Number: 49357
• Author(s): J D STILL
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 101 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

THE EFFICACY OF A METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING AND AMELIORATING PROBLEMS IS TESTED IN A STUDY OF 80 OFFENDERS PLACED ON PROBATION BY THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT OF THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI.

Abstract

ALL OF THE SUBJECTS WERE CONTACTED AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH FOR COUNSELING AND SUPERVISION BY A FEDERAL PROBATION OFFICER. ONE-THIRD OF THE PROBATIONERS, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THEIR SUPERVISORS, SCALED GOALS FOR THE AMELIORATION OF IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS. A SECOND GROUP DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE GOAL-SCALING PROCESS BUT WERE ASSIGNED SCALED GOALS FOR PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS IDENTIFIED BY SUPERVISORS FROM THE PROBATIONERS' PRESENTENCE AND CASE CONTACT REPORTS. IN THE THIRD GROUP, NEITHER THE PROBATIONERS NOR THEIR SUPERVISORS ENGAGED IN GOAL SCALING; SUPERVISORS PROVIDED THE CUSTOMARY COUNSELING AND SUPERVISION. ALL SUBJECTS COMPLETED A TEST MEASURING INTERNAL-EXTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL BEFORE AND AFTER THE STUDY PERIOD. MUTUAL PARTICIPATION BY OFFENDERS AND SUPERVISORS IN GOAL ATTAINMENT SCALING HAD A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE BEHAVIOR OF PROBATIONERS. GOAL ATTAINMENT SCALING DID NOT AFFECT THE OFFENDERS' LOCUS-OF-CONTROL ORIENTATION. IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY ARE OFFERED. INSTRUMENTS USED IN GOAL ATTAINMENT SCALING, SUPPORTING DATA, AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)