NCJ Number
61211
Date Published
1979
Length
209 pages
Annotation
THE LIFE HISTORIES OF 65 INMATES INTERVIEWED DURING THE YEARS 1975 AND 1976 ARE PRESENTED WITH THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING A MORE REALISTIC APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF CRIMINOLOGY. THE INMATES WERE FIRST OFFENDERS.
Abstract
A CORRECTIONAL SOCIOLOGIST IN THE CLASSIFICATION UNIT OF ONE OF THE LARGEST MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISONS IN THE MIDWEST INTERVIEWED AND WROTE UPDATE CLASSIFICATION REPORTS ON HALF (136) OF THOSE INMATES WHO HAD BEEN INCARCERATED IN EXCESS OF 3 CONTINUOUS YEARS. A RANDOM-SELECTION PROCESS FUNCTIONED TO ELIMINATE THOSE INMATES SERVING PRISON SENTENCES OF LESS THAN 3 YEARS AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN PAROLED IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS. OF THE 136 ORIGINAL CASES, 42 WERE SELECTED FOR PRESENTATION BECAUSE THEY EITHER WERE ADMITTED TO JUVENILE INCARCERATION OR THEIR RECORDS REVEALED THAT THEY HAD BEEN INCARCERATED IN ONE OR MORE JUVENILE FACILITIES. AN ADDITIONAL 23 CASES WERE SELECTED BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT SOME OF THE MORE COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENTED CRIMINAL CASE HISTORIES OF YOUNG FIRST OFFENDERS PRESENTLY AVAILABLE. INDIVIDUAL MASTER RECORD FILES, COUPLED WITH PERSONAL AND PRIVATE INTERVIEWS WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL SELECTED, WERE USED FOR THE CASE HISTORIES. DISCUSSING MEASURES FOR THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF YOUTH CRIME, THE BOOK RECOMMENDS THAT STATES CONSTRUCT, STAFF, AND MAINTAIN CHILD-REARING-EDUCATION-INSTITUTIONS DESIGNED TO REAR CHILDREN FROM BIRTH THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND THAT THEY INSTITUTE A CONTROLLED CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM AS WELL AS A CONTROLLED PRISON SYSTEM TO DEAL WITH YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. (MJW)