PERCEPTION, OPTIMISM, AND ACCURACY IN CORRECTIONAL DECISION-MAKING (PERCEPTION IN CRIMINOLOGY, 1975 BY RICHARD L HENSHEL AND ROBERT A SILVERMAN - SEE NCJ-32885)

• NCJ Number: 35430
• Author(s): J W ROGER; N S HAYNER
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 23 pages
• Corporate Author: Columbia University Press
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STUDY OF THE WAYS IN WHICH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE PAROLE DECISION MAKING PROCESS PERCEIVE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CERTAIN OFFENDER CHARACTERISTICS AND PAROLE SUCCESS.

Abstract

TEN GROUPS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS INCLUDING POLICE, COURT, PRISON, AND PAROLE-PROBATION OFFICERS AS WELL AS CITIZEN GROUPS WERE ASKED TO RANK TWENTY ITEMS INCLUDING RACE, CRIMINAL RECORD, FAMILY BACKGROUND, AND CERTAIN TYPES OF CRIME CONVICTIONS IN RELATION TO THEIR FAVORABLE EFFECTS ON PAROLE OUTCOME. THE PAPER EXAMINES THE CONGRUENCY OF RESPONDENT PERCEPTIONS WITH RESEARCH EVIDENCE CONNECTING CERTAIN PREDICTION ITEMS TO PAROLE SUCCESS. DATA REVEALS THAT THE GREATER THE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL, AGE, INCOME, INTERPROFESSIONAL CONTACT, AND ORIENTATIONS OF NONPUNITIVENESS, CORRECTIONAL PROGRESSIVISM AND PERMISIVENESS CHARACTERISTIC OF A POSITION; AND THE GREATER THE DISTANCE (IN TERMS OF THE CORRECTIONAL SEQUENCE) BETWEEN A POSITION AND THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE, THE GREATER WILL BE THE POSITIONAL PERCEPTUAL ACCURACY MEASURED IN TERMS OF THE CORRECT ASSESSMENT OF PAROLE-PREDICTION-ITEM RELATIONSHIPS.