NCJ Number
68624
Journal
Archiwum Kryminologii Volume: 7 Dated: (1976) Pages: 7-139
Date Published
1976
Length
133 pages
Annotation
DATA GATHERED ON 220 PRISONERS CONVICTED 4 OR MORE TIMES CONCERNED THEIR FAMILY BACKGROUND, JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, INTELLIGENCE LEVEL, AND PERSONALITY DISORDERS. THE ROLE OF ALCOHOL ABUSE WAS EMPHASIZED.
Abstract
THE DATA ON FAMILY BACKGROUND AND ADOLESCENCE SHOWED THAT ABOUT HALF OF THE SUBJECTS CAME FROM BROKEN HOMES, THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST THREE CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY, THAT MATERIAL CONDITIONS DURING THEIR CHILDHOOD WERE VERY DIFFICULT, AND THAT THE PARENTS (MAINLY FATHERS) HAD SERIOUS DRINKING PROBLEMS. AT LEAST 57 PERCENT OF THE SUBJECTS WERE STEALING OR HAD BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE A COURT AS MINORS; ALMOST 70 PERCENT HAD HAD NEUROTIC SYMPTOMS SINCE CHILDHOOD; 41 PERCENT WERE ALREADY ALCOHOLICS AS MINORS. THE WECHSLER-BELLEVUE INTELLIGENCE SCALE WAS ADMINISTERED TO 211 SUBJECTS. AS MANY AS 44 PERCENT HAD INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENTS BELOW 91, WHILE THE PERCENTAGE OF INDIVIDUALS WITH ABOVE AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE WAS ONLY 9. THE DETERIORATION OF CERTAIN INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONS SEEMS CONNECTED WITH ALCOHOLISM. THE MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY WAS ADMINISTERED TO 148 PRISONERS. THE RESULTS INDICATED GENERAL ALIENATION, LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE, CONSIDERABLE HOSTILITY AND DEFIANCE OF MORAL NORMS. ALCOHOLICS SHOWED HIGHER SCORES IN ALL CLINICAL SCALES, BUT NO DIFFERENCE IN THE SHAPE OF THE MEAN PROFILE WAS FOUND. ALCOHOLISM WAS NOT FOUND TO BE THE PRIME CAUSE OF OFFENSES BY ALCOHOLICS, BUT IT DOES INFLUENCE THE CRIME PATTERN, CONTRIBUTING TO THE VIOLENT AND HETEROGENOUS NATURE OF ALCOHOL-RELATED CRIMES. MULTIPLE STAYS IN PRISON INTENSIFIED THE ALIENATION OF THE RECIDIVISTS AND HAMPERED THEIR ATTEMPTS AT SOCIAL READJUSTMENT. TABULAR DATA, AND INDIVIDUAL CASE HISTORIES ARE INCLUDED.