NCJ Number
67661
Date Published
1975
Length
20 pages
Annotation
THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF TIME SERVED AT THE INDIANA STATE PRISON BY INMATES WHO RECEIVED PAROLE AUTHORIZATION IS DETERMINED FOR FIVE SENTENCE LENGTHS.
Abstract
THE DATA WAS OBTAINED FROM THE 'MINUTES' OF THE INDIANA PAROLE BOARD AND FROM THE SUBJECTS' CENTRAL OFFICE PACKETS. INFORMATION WAS COLLECTED ON DATES OF ADMISSION AND PAROLE AUTHORIZATION, ON THE INMATES' ETHNIC GROUPS, AND ON THE INMATES' MOST SERIOUS OFFENSES. THE GOALS INCLUDED DETERMINATIONS OF (1) THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF TIME SERVED, (2) THE RANGE OF TIME SERVED, AND (3) THE AVERAGE (MEAN) LENGTH AND THE RANGE OF TIME SERVED BY WHITE AND BLACK INMATES. THE FOLLOWING RESULTS WERE OBTAINED: (1) FOR THE 25 INMATES COMMITTED TO LIFE SENTENCES, THE AVERAGE TIME SERVED WAS 19 YEARS AND 8.8 MONTHS WITH A RANGE OF 1 YEAR AND 2 MONTHS TO 35 YEARS. WHITES COMPRISED 68 PERCENT OF THE INMATES AND SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 21 YEARS AND 3.9 MONTHS (RANGE, 1 YEAR AND 2 MONTHS TO 35 YEARS), AND BLACKS SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 16 YEARS AND 4.4 MONTHS (RANGE, 10 YEARS AND 5 MONTHS TO 26 YEARS AND 5 MONTHS). (2) FOR THE 8 INMATES WITH SENTENCES OF 2 TO 10 YEARS, THE AVERAGE TIME SERVED WAS 1 YEAR AND 3.5 MONTHS. THE 1 WHITE INMATE SERVED 1 YEAR, AND THE AVERAGE TIME SERVED BY THE BLACK INMATES WAS 1 YEAR AND 4 MONTHS (RANGE, 9 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS AND 1 MONTH). (3) FOR A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 25 INMATES WITH SENTENCES OF 1 TO 10 YEARS, THE AVERAGE TIME SERVED WAS 1 YEAR AND 6 MONTHS WITH A RANGE OF 3 MONTHS TO 3 YEARS AND 8 MONTHS. WHITES COMPRISED 56 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE AND SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 1 YEAR AND 8 MONTHS (RANGE, 4 MONTHS TO 3 YEARS AND 8 MONTHS), AND BLACKS SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 1 YEAR AND 3.5 MONTHS (RANGE, 3 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS AND 9 MONTHS). (4) FOR A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 25 INMATES WITH SENTENCES OF 2 TO 5 YEARS, THE AVERAGE TIME SERVED WAS 1 YEAR AND FOUR-TENTHS OF A MONTH WITH A RANGE OF 7 MONTHS TO 1 YEAR AND FOUR-TENTHS OF A MONTH WITH A RANGE OF 7 MONTHS TO 1 YEAR AND 11 MONTHS. WHITES COMPRISED 84 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE AND SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 1 YEAR AND ONE-TENTH OF A MONTH (RANGE, 8 MONTHS TO 1 YEAR AND 10 MONTHS), AND BLACKS SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 1 YEAR AND 2 MONTHS (RANGE, 7 MONTHS TO 1 YEAR AND 11 MONTHS). (5) FOR A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 25 INMATES WITH SENTENCES OF 1 TO 5 YEARS, THE AVERAGE TIME SERVED WAS 1 YEAR AND 3 MONTHS WITH A RANGE OF 9 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS AND 7 MONTHS. WHITES COMPRISED 76 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE AND SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 1 YEAR AND 3 MONTHS (RANGE, 9 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS AND 7 MONTHS), AND BLACKS SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 1 YEAR AND 2 MONTHS (RANGE, 11 MONTHS TO 1 YEAR AND 8 MONTHS). APPENDICES INCLUDE LISTINGS OF DATA COLLECTED.