NCJ Number
232503
Journal
Victims & Offenders Volume: 3 Issue: 2 & 3 Dated: April 2008 Pages: 217-227
Date Published
April 2008
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a corrections-based victim awareness program on a sample of incarcerated offenders.
Abstract
This article follows up on an earlier study that found significant improvements in three of four knowledge and sensitivity factors measured in offenders who participated in an impact of crime on victims "victim awareness" program. The current study investigated behavioral outcomes in a similar study population, namely disciplinary infractions that occurred while participants continued their incarceration. Findings indicated that African-American adult males in the treatment group exhibited significantly fewer A-level (most serious) disciplinary problems than did their comparison group counterparts, while all other subgroup comparisons did not yield such significant differences. This result, although limited to one subgroup, remains both interesting and useful given that African-American males are typically overrepresented in correctional populations and given the seriousness of the offenses at issue here. Reducing the frequency of serious infractions, and therefore these additional victimizations, is critical to the safety of both inmates and correctional officers. (Published Abstract)