NCJ Number
27440
Date Published
1975
Length
267 pages
Annotation
A DESCRIPTION OF THE MASSACHUSETTS CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION AT FRAMINGHAM - A COEDUCATIONAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITY - WITH AN EVALUATION OF INMATES' ATTITUDES AND THE EFFECTS OF THE COEDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ON RECIDIVISM.
Abstract
A REVIEW OF THE CORRECTIONAL LITERATURE, WHICH WAS EMPLOYED TO ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK OF INQUIRY, IS PRESENTED. THE HISTORY AND PHYSICAL LAYOUT OF THE FACILITY, AS WELL AS ITS STAFFING PATTERNS AND CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS ARE DESCRIBED. QUESTIONNAIRES SHOWED AN OVERWHELMING PREFERENCE AMONG INMATES FOR CO-ED INCARCERATION OVER ONE-SEX INCARCERATION. THE MAJOR DRAWBACK OF THIS CO-ED PROGRAM WAS THAT THERE IS A PERCEIVED DOUBLE STANDARD OF TREATMENT FOR MALE AND FEMALE INMATES. THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE EXPECTED RECIDIVISM RATE (17.3 PERCENT) AND THE ACTUAL RECIDIVISM RATE (11.6 PERCENT) REVEALED A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN RECIDIVISM FOR THE FIRST 121 PERSONS WHO WERE RELEASED FROM FRAMINGHAM SINCE IT BECAME A COEDUCATIONAL FACILITY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)