ORGANIZING THE CONVICTED - SELF-HELP FOR PRISONERS AND EX-PRISONERS

• NCJ Number: 38874
• Journal: Crime and Delinquency Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1977) Pages: 68-74
• Author(s): P D MCANANY; E TROMANHAUSER
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Historical Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AFTER A BRIEF EXAMINATION OF THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRISONER ORGANIZATION MOVEMENT, THE RESULTS OF A 1974 STUDY OF CHICAGO AREA EX-OFFENDER AND PRISONER GROUPS IS PRESENTED.

Abstract

THE CHICAGO AREA STUDY SHOWED THAT PATTERNS IN THE PRISONER ORGANIZATIONS DID EMERGE INSPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE GROUPS ASSERTED AND PURSUED A WIDE ARRAY OF GOALS. SOME COMMON OBJECTIVES WERE (1) IDENTITY OF SELF AND GROUP, (2) SELF-HELP, (3) SELF-CHANGE, (4) SURVIVAL, (5) CHANGE OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES, AND (6) SYSTEM CHANGE. ONE PRIMARY FOCUS OF ALL GROUPS WAS THE SURVIVAL NEEDS OF THE PAROLEE IMMEDIATELY ON RELEASE. THE RESEARCHERS NOTED THAT THE EXCLUSION OF EX-OFFENDER GROUPS FROM PRISONS AND A LACK OF FUNDING WERE MAJOR OBSTACLES TO MOVEMENT DEVELOPMENT. ALSO, THE DECLINE OF BROAD PUBLIC INTEREST IN OFFENDERS' PROBLEMS AND REDUCED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR REFORM EFFORTS AFFECTED THE PRISONER ORGANIZATION MOVEMENT.