NCJ Number
59182
Date Published
1978
Length
34 pages
Annotation
FILE AND INTERVIEW DATA COLLECTED FROM A SAMPLE OF 213 NATIVE INCARCERATES IN ONTARIO, CANADA, SHOW THAT THE MAJORITY WERE STATUS INDIANS, COMING FROM A RESERVE OR A RURAL ENVERIRONMENT.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE THE NATIVE OFFENDERS, DETERMINE THEIR PROBLEMS, AND ASSESS EXTENT OF NONPAYMENT OF FINES, USE OF ALTERNATIVE SENTENCES, AND EXTENT OFFENDERS HAD CONTACT WITH COMMUNITY-BASED NATIVE ORGANIZATIONS. THE 213 NATIVE INMATES INTERVIEWED REPRESENTED APPROXIMATELY 90 PERCENT OF ALL NATIVES INCARCERATED. THE STUDY FOUND THAT THEY HAD PREDOMINANTLY POOR EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION HISTORIES AND WERE HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON PUBLIC FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. A HIGH PROPORTION OF THE NATIVE SAMPLE HAD RECIDIVATED IN THE PAST AND PROPERTY- AND ALCOHOL-RELATED OFFENSES WERE PREVALENT. NATIVE COURT WORKER SERVICES OF THE SAMPLE WERE REPORTED TO HAVE USED DUTY COUNSEL, LEGAL AID, OR BOTH. ONLY 10 PERCENT DECLINED AN OPTION TO BE RELEASED ON BAIL DURING THEIR TRIALS AND ONLY 9 PERCENT WERE INCARCERATED IN DEFAULT OF FINES. ECONOMIC FACTORS FIGURED IN ALMOST ALL OF THESE CASES. ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF SENTENCING WERE ATTRACTIVE TO ALMOST ALL OF THE NATIVES. ALCOHOL ABUSE WAS FOUND TO PREVAIL. NATIVE INMATES GENERALLY RECEIVED VERY FEW VISITS WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND FEW ARE AWARE OF OR HAD BEEN CONTACTED BY COMMUNITY-BASED NATIVE ORGANIZATIONS. INDIAN FRIENDSHIP CENTERS ENJOYED THE WIDEST EXPOSURE. ALMOST HALF THE SAMPLE STATED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE NATIVE-ORIENTED PROGRAMS IN CORECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. THE REPORT SUGGESTS THAT PROGRAMS, INITIATED AND OPERATED BY OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS AND MONITORED INTERNALLY BY A VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, BE CONSIDERED. A LIST OF SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH IS PROVIDED AS WELL AS REFERENCES AND APPENDIXES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED-MJW)