NCJ Number
51031
Date Published
1977
Length
162 pages
Annotation
TO INVESTIGATE PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS AND EX-OFFENDERS, OPEN-ENDED INTERVIEWS WERE HELD WITH 266 ADULTS IN MANKATO, MINN. RESPONSES SHOWED LESS STEREOTYPING THAN THE RESEARCHERS EXPECTED.
Abstract
PREVIOUS REPORTS IN THE LITERATURE HAVE FREQUENTLY ATTRIBUTED FAILURE OF COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS AND EX-OFFENDER REHABILITATION PROGRAMS TO NEGATIVE PUBLIC ATTITUDES. TO INVESTIGATE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF CRIMINAL LABELING, A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 400 PERSONS IN THE MANKATO AREA WAS SELECTED FOR OPEN-ENDED INTERVIEWS. RESPONSES WERE OBTAINED FROM 231 PERSONS. THE SURVEY CONSISTED OF A SERIES OF QUESTIONS CONCERNING PREFERENCES WITH RESPECT TO THE ISOLATION OR COMMUNITY TREATMENT OF LABELED RULE-BREAKERS, CONCEPTUALIZATIONS OF CONVICTS AS PERSONALITY TYPES, AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE MOTIVATIONS OF LAW VIOLATORS. THERE WAS WIDE VARIATION IN ATTITUDES, OPINIONS, AND CONCEPTS REGARDING EX-OFFENDERS. COMMENTS WERE GENERALLY MORE POSITIVE AND LESS STEREOTYPED THAN LABELING THEORY INDICATES, HOWEVER, 10 PERCENT GAVE DEFINITE EXCLUSIONARY RESPONSES. RESPONDENTS WERE VERY WILLING TO WORK WITH AN EX-OFFENDER: 84 PERCENT WERE IN FAVOR OF THE IDEA, COMPARED TO 11.5 PERCENT OPPOSED, AND 4.8 PERCENT UNDECIDED; 69.7 WOULD HIRE AN EX-OFFENDER; AND 74 PERCENT APPROVED OF THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS. ONLY 48.5 PERCENT, HOWEVER, FAVORED THE OPENING OF A HALFWAY HOUSE FOR ADULTS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD; AND ONLY 61.5 PERCENT WOULD APPROVE OF A GROUP HOME FOR TEENAGERS IN THEIR AREA. YOUNGER PERSONS WITH HIGHER EDUCATION AND INCOME WERE THE STRONGEST SUPPORTERS OF COMMUNITY-BASED TREATMENT. CHURCH ATTENDANCE WAS ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO POSITIVE RESPONSES. OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTORS AFFECTING ATTITUDES WERE THE BELIEF THAT THE LOCAL ECONOMY WOULD IMPROVE OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS, SEX (WOMEN WERE MORE LIBERAL THAN MEN), POSSESSION OF A SAVINGS ACCOUNT (WHICH BECAME SIGNIFICANT AS PART OF THE TOTAL CORRELATION), AND NUMBER OF CHILDREN (WHICH BECAME SIGNIFICANT AS PART OF THE TOTAL CORRELATION). THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS ON POLICY IS DISCUSSED. CHARTS AND TABLES PRESENT THE SURVEY RESULTS AND THE REGRESSION ANALYSIS. THE MASTER INTERVIEW SCHEDULE, THE RAW DATA, TYPICAL RESPONSES TO THE OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE APPENDED.