SURVEY OF MISDEMEANANT INMATE POPULATION IN DOUGLAS COUNTY, NEBRASKA

• NCJ Number: 31727
• Journal: Creighton Law Review Volume: 8 Dated: (JULY 1975) Pages: 1014-1044
• Author(s): C F Rossiter
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 31 pages
• Corporate Author: Creighton University
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF SEVENTY-ONE INCARCERATED MISDEMEANTS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE INMATES, THEIR LEGAL PROBLEMS, AND THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS LAWYERS AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM.

Abstract

THE SUBJECTS FOR THIS STUDY WERE THE MISDEMEANTS SENTENCED TO DOUGLAS COUNTY MISDEMEANANT FACILITIES FROM MID-NOVEMBER TO MID-DECEMBER, 1974. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE USED TO GATHER DATA. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE MAJORITY OF SENTENCED MISDEMEANANTS WERE YOUNG MALE CAUCASIANS. ALSO MOST WERE UNMARRIED, WITHOUT DEPENDENTS, AND RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY. LEGAL PROBLEMS OF IMMEDIATE CONCERN TO THE INMATES WERE REPORTED FOR SUCH AREAS AS CREDIT-CONSUMER CASES, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, AND BANKRUPTCY. ATTITUDES TOWARD THE LEGAL SYSTEM REFLECTED SKEPTICISM ABOUT AND FRUSTRATION WITH TREATMENT RECEIVED WITHIN THE PROCESSES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. BASED ON THESE SURVEY RESULTS, THE AUTHOR OFFERS SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVED TREATMENT AND HANDLING OF THESE INMATES.