NCJ Number
11089
Date Published
1973
Length
129 pages
Annotation
PERSPECTIVE OF MEN WHO HAVE LIVED THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF PAROLE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO GENERALLY KNOWN THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION.
Abstract
THE EMPHASIS OF THIS RESEARCH WAS ON DETERMINING THE NEEDS OF THE OFFENDER AS HE PERCEIVES THEM AND RELATING THESE FINDINGS TO COMMONLY ACCEPTED THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION. THE FIRST CHAPTER PRESENTS EXCERPTS FROM TAPED INTERVIEWS, CONDUCTED BY MEN WHO WERE THEMSELVES EX-CONVICTS, OF PAROLEES TELLING THEIR STORIES IN THEIR OWN WORDS. CHAPTER TWO RELATES SOME OF THE FINDINGS TO THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS PROVIDED BY DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION, ANOMIE, AND LABELING THEORY. THE NEXT CHAPTER DISCUSSES THE PROBLEMS FACED BY PAROLEES, THE MEANING OF PAROLE, THE STIGMA OF PRISON, RE-SOCIALIZATION TO CIVILIAN LIFE, AND THE 'MYTH' OF REHABILITATION. CHAPTER FOUR COMMENTS ON THE MORE CONCRETE NEEDS OF PAROLEES AND INCLUDES DISCUSSIONS ON EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, PERSONAL FINANCES, AND ACCEPTANCE BY THE COMMUNITY. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE, IN CHAPTER FIVE, THAT THE PAROLEES IN THIS STUDY SEEMED TO SHARE MIDDLE-CLASS ATTITUDES AND AMBITIONS BUT LACKED THE RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. CHAPTER SIX COMMENTS ON THE PAROLEE'S RELATION TO OTHERS AND PRESENTS STATISTICS SHOWING FREQUENCY OF ASSOCIATION WITH FRIENDS, RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS. CHAPTER SEVEN EXAMINES THE PAROLEE'S SELF-CONCEPT AND FACTORS SUCH AS SOCIAL AND INTERPERSONAL INSTABILITY. THE FINAL CHAPTERS PRESENT A SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS BASED ON RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PAROLE, REHABILITATION, AND EX-OFFENDER AGENCIES. AN EPILOGUE, CONSISTING OF A FIRST PERSON ACCOUNT BY A PAROLEE, IS INCLUDED. (SNI ABSTRACT)