NCJ Number
232630
Date Published
2010
Length
16 pages
Annotation
In order to obtain data on offenders' criminal earnings during a 3-year period, this study conducted a survey of just over 250 offenders who were incarcerated in Federal penitentiaries in Quebec (Canada) between 2000 and 2001; the discussion focuses on various aspects of the self-report survey.
Abstract
Site selection and access are discussed, with attention to variations across minimum-, medium-, and maximum-security penitentiaries. The logistics of respondent solicitation are also addressed, including a discussion of the personal techniques used in persuading inmates to participate in the survey. In addition, the questionnaire and sample designs are reviewed; and key variables, such as the criminal earnings measures, are described. These variables are validated for their overall form, internal consistency, and correlation with respondents' self-perceptions and expectations. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the limits surrounding the inmate survey and an overall appraisal of its contribution to criminological research. The chapter concludes that surveying incarcerated offenders for information on their criminal experiences is a rich and valid approach. In supporting the validity of in-prison interviews, the chapter notes that most persistent offenders will experience an incarceration term at some point in their criminal careers; also, all incarcerated offenders were free and active at some point in their pasts. Because the questionnaire was designed to keep the dialog between the interviewer and respondent dynamic, respondents expressed an interest in the overall outcome of their past criminal experiences and implications for their futures. In addition, respondents were not concentrated among failed or overly successful offenders, providing a realistic mix of criminal experiences. 12 references