Interviewing Male and Female Jail Inmates Sentenced for Drug Offenses: Findings and Implications

• NCJ Number: 230289
• Journal: Criminal Justice Studies Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Dated: March 2010 Pages: 85-95
• Author(s): Jennifer LaMoure; Robert Meadows; Henri Mondschein; Susan Llewelly
• Date Published: March 2010
• Length: 11 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Interviews were conducted with male and female inmates sentenced for various drug crimes to understand what offenders think about treatment, their drug use, success after release, and their future.

Abstract

Following a questionnaire consisting of 34 open-ended items, interviews were conducted with 100 female and 160 male sentenced inmates in two medium size jail facilities in Southern California. All of the inmates have or have had an ongoing substance abuse problem. Most were sentenced for various offenses ranging from drug crimes, theft, and parole violations. Survey items focused on employment, education, sobriety, family, legal, and housing options upon release. The voluntary interviews were conducted over a 6-month period, with the length of incarceration of each between 1 and 6 months. The interviews revealed differences between males and females suggesting a need for different treatment approaches. References and appendix (Published Abstract)