NCJ Number
74289
Date Published
1979
Length
14 pages
Annotation
The paper describes the characteristics of persistent and habitual offenders and their incidence in Japanese prisons and suggests the propriety of an indeterminate sentence for this type of offender.
Abstract
Inmates with deep and persistent criminal tendencies (recidivists, habitual offenders, and persistent criminals) are called Class B criminals. In Japan, more than 60 percent of all inmates are Class B. Clinical subgroups of Class B are described according to their personal characteristics, problems and the possible underlying psychological cause of their problems. These overlapping subgroups include the mentally ill, the physically handicapped, gangsters, drug and alcohol addicts, groups with personality problems and others. Estimates are made of the incidence of some of these groups in Kobe Prison and in Japan as a whole. Because many of these prisoners given short terms do not make serious attempts at rehabilitation, it is suggested that for such persistent criminals, an indeterminate sentence might be practical and effective.