NCJ Number
57139
Journal
Archives of General Psychiatry Volume: 29 Issue: 2 Dated: (AUGUST 1973) Pages: 266-269
Date Published
1973
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE REPORTS A PSYCHIATRIC STUDY OF 66 PAROLED, FEMALE FELONS, AND THE FOLLOWUP INVESTIGATION OF THEIR RECIDIVISM 2 TO 3 YEARS AFTER PAROLE; 33 PERCENT OF THE WOMEN WERE REARRESTED AT LEAST ONCE.
Abstract
PERSONAL INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED IN 1969 WITH 66 CONVICTED FEMALE FELONS ON PAROLE INDICATED THAT ALL OF THE SUBJECTS WERE PSYCHIATRICALLY ILL. CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIOPATHY AND DRUG DEPENDENCE WERE MORE FREQUENT IN THE SUBJECT GROUP THAN IN THE GENERAL FEMALE POPULATION. BETWEEN OCTOBER 1971 AND FEBRUARY 1972, THROUGH THE HELP OF THE MISSOURI BOARD OF PROBATION AND PAROLE, SYSTEMATIC REPORTS OF ARRESTS AND CONVICTIONS WERE OBTAINED FOR FOLLOWUP ANALYSIS. DURING THE 1969-1972 INTERVAL, 22 WOMEN WERE REARRESTED AT LEAST ONCE IN A TOTAL OF 81 ARRESTS, FOR A RECIDIVISM RATE OF 33 PERCENT. THE MOST FREQUENT REASON FOR ARREST WAS SHOPLIFTING, FOLLOWED BY DRUG VIOLATIONS AND FRAUD OR FORGERY. THE CORRELATION OF RECIDIVISM WITH PRIOR CRIMINAL RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE 5 SUBJECTS ORIGINALLY CONVICTED FOR ROBBERY HAD HIGHER RECIDIVISM RATES THAN THOSE CONVICTED FOR SHOPLIFTING, FORGERY, OR ANY OTHER CRIME. WOMEN WITH SOCIOPATHY PLUS DRUG DEPENDENCE HAD SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RECIDIVISM RATES THAN DID WOMEN WITH EITHER DISORDER ALONE. MANY OF THE VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH RECIDIVISM OVERLAP AND ARE SIGNIFICANTLY CORRELATED WITH ONE ANOTHER. RECIDIVISM WAS GREATER AMONG YOUNGER SOCIOPATHS, WITH A GENERAL TENDENCY FOR RATES TO FALL WITH INCREASING AGE. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)