NCJ Number
74790
Date Published
1979
Length
66 pages
Annotation
Responses to a questionnaire focusing on information needs and reading interests of adult prisoners incarcerated in three New Mexico prisons are discussed.
Abstract
Questionnaires were completed by 314 residents of 3 New Mexico prisons, including 290 men and 24 women, representing 20 percent of the total male incarcerated population and 41 percent of the total female incarcerated population. Background information generally revealed that the prisoners tended to be young and crimnally unsophisticated. Hispanic individuals, high school dropouts, and substances abusers were frequently represented in the sample. Analysis of questionnaire responses indicated that information about acquiring more schooling or job training was the primary need. As a group, males expressed considered understanding the law to be important. Women were less interested in all types of information and only considered understanding the law to be important. More women than men wanted information concerning getting along with others. For men, best sellers and adventure stories were preferred fiction subjects, and people and places were the preferred nonfiction subjects. Romances and adventure stories were women's preferred fiction subjects, and prison/prisoners literature and humor were the preferred nonfiction subjects. Footnotes and appendixes containing the questionnaire, and statistical and data summaries are included. (Author abstract modified).