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Assessing the Therapeutic Climate of Prisons

NCJ Number
238110
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 39 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2012 Pages: 156-168
Author(s)
Andrew Day; Sharon Casey; Jim Vess; Gina Huisy
Date Published
February 2012
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The aim of this study was to examine whether meaningful differences can be observed between the social climates of two different Australian prisons.
Abstract
This study examined perceptions of the prison social climate in two Australian prisons from the perspective of both prison staff and prisoners. Ratings of social climate were compared between a specialist treatment prison that provides intensive rehabilitation programs to violent, sexual, and substance-using offenders and a mainstream prison that does not specialize in offender rehabilitation. The results suggested that staff and prisoners at the specialist treatment prison rated the social climate as more conducive to rehabilitation, although the differences were less pronounced for prisoners. These findings are discussed in relation to the development of specialist therapeutic prisons and how assessments of social climate might inform assessments of their success. (Published Abstract)