Showing papers in "Criminal Justice and Behavior in 1978"
TL;DR: Abel, Blanchard, Becker, and Djenderedjian as mentioned in this paper used penile transducers with child molesters and rapists to assess the sexual arousal of various sexual deviates.
Abstract: Evaluating how a client is doing in therapy is a problem faced by all therapists. This is an especially important issue when the client is a rapist or child molester, since not knowing that his control is poor or that he has failed to respond to treatment may jeopardize the safety of others. Therapists have traditionally relied on the client's self-report to evaluate how he is doing. This traditional method of assessment in some cases is quite efficient and provides the therapist with extensive details that assist in outlining further treatment plans for the offender. In working with sexual deviates, however, it is quite apparent that in many cases this self-report is totally unreliable. As a consequence, the therapist must rely on other methods to assess his client's progress. For a number of years, penile transducer measures have been used to assess the sexual arousal of various sexual deviates. This is accomplished by the use of a small penile transducer which encircles the penis and records erection responses during the presentation of various sexual stimuli. In recent years, this method has been applied to the assessment of child molesters and sexual aggressives. Abel, Blanchard, Becker, and Djenderedjian summarize their recent work on the use of penile transducers with child molesters and rapists. The correlation of such measures with the sexual aggressive's history of sexual aggressive behavior, the frequency of that behavior, the likelihood of excessive force being used during the commission of a sexual assault, the likelihood of the client being a sadomasochist, and age of the aggressive's preferred victim is discussed. Preliminary data indicate that these physiologic measures have tremendous potential for assisting the therapist in assessing not only the treatment needs of the sexual aggressive, but also his response (or failure to respond) to treatment. Language: en
157 citations
TL;DR: The authors examined value differences of violent and nonviolent youthful offenders committed to the California Youth Authority's Northern California Reception Center in Sacramento and found that violent offenders exhibited a different value orientation than nonviolent offenders.
Abstract: This study examined value differences of violent and nonviolent youthful offenders committed to the California Youth Authority's Northern California Reception Center in Sacramento. Previous research indicated that high rates of violent crime were related to the subculture of violence hypothesis, i.e., violent offenders exhibited a different value orientation than nonviolent offenders. The Rokeach Value Survey was used to measure the values of violent and nonviolent youthful offenders. The data suggested that value systems of violent and nonviolent youthful offenders were basically the same. Six of the 36 values differed significantly. This finding was consistent with the recent studies of Ball-Rokeach.
98 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, Laws and Holmen examine further the issue of response faking by looking at various methods used by one of their own clients as he attempted to fake in the laboratory.
Abstract: Finally in this series, Laws and Holmen examine further the issue of response faking by looking at various methods used by one of their own clients as he attempted to fake in the laboratory. It is ...
89 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed an empirical taxonomy of female offenders and related these findings to empirical taxonomies of male offenders, and used this taxonomy to classify female offenders.
Abstract: The purpose of the present investigation was threefold: ( 1 ) to develop an empirical taxonomy of female offenders; (2) to relate these findings to empirical taxonomies of male offenders; and (3) t...
68 citations
Journal Article•
49 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of the Transcendental meditation program in a maximum security prison were studied via cross-validation design, which indicated reduction in anxiety, neuroticism, hostility, and insomnia as a function of the treatment.
Abstract: The effects of the Transcendental Meditation program in a maximum security prison were studied via cross-validation design. Each of two experiments involved the pre- and postmeasurement of a treatment and a control group with a 14-week treatment interval. All subjects were administered the Eysenck Personality Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, and a survey of sleep patterns and smoking habits. Parallel significant differences between the Transcendental Meditation and control groups across all the inventories were found via MANCOVAs, indicating reduction in anxiety, neuroticism, hostility, and insomnia as a function of the treatment.
48 citations
TL;DR: As a greater number of treatment units have investigated the use of the penile transducers to evaluate child molesters and rapists, greater interest has focused on the issues of the validity of the transducers.
Abstract: As a greater number of treatment units have investigated the use of the penile transducer to evaluate child molesters and rapists, greater interest has focused on the issues of the validity of thes...
40 citations
TL;DR: In this article, it would appear obvious that a major focus of the therapists' attention is the aggressive acts against victims who did not or could not consent to their sexual abuse, and that this is the case for Rapists and Child Molesters.
Abstract: Rapists and child molesters come to the attention of therapists because of their aggressive acts against victims who did not or could not consent. It would appear obvious that a major focus of ther...
36 citations
TL;DR: It was concluded that programmatic contributions to the process of societal reintegration can be effective devices for reducing the repeated criminal behavior of the prison releasee.
Abstract: In an effort to evaluate the effectiveness of the furlough program as a correctional device, an analysis of rates of recidivism for individuals released from Massachusetts' state correctional institutions in the years 1973 and 1974 was conducted. The following research question was addressed: are inmates who experience one or more furloughs during the term of their incarceration less likely to be reincarcerated within one year of their eventual release from prison than are similar types of inmates who do not participate in the furlough program during the period of their incarceration? Selection factors were controlled via the use of Base Expectancy Tables. Analysis of the data indicated that the participation in the Home Furlough Program led to a significant reduction in recidivism rates. The data were interpreted as providing preliminary evidence that the use of furlough programs during the period of incarceration provides a positive reintegrative function. It was concluded that programmatic contribution...
32 citations
TL;DR: In this article, skills training has been applied to a diverse group of clients, ranging from shy college students to inaprogrammed adults, to identify those behaviors that reflect good social skills.
Abstract: A frequently overlooked element of any rapist or child molester's behavior is his social skills. We know that some sexual aggressives are very adept at interacting socially with a female, expressing themselves to others, requesting others to change their behavior, and accurately empathizing or appreciating the feeling states of others. On the other hand, some sexual aggressives are unable to maintain an adequate social interaction with an adult female, are unable to assert themselves appropriately with others, and, finally, some are cold and indifferent to others' feelings. In the past, these skills deficits have been viewed as characteristic of aggressives, but no formal means of evaluating or treating these deficits was available.In recent years behavioral approaches have begun to identify those behaviors that reflect good social skills. Concomitantly, skills training, a reeducative approach to teaching new skills, has been applied to a diverse group of clients, ranging from shy college students to inap...
29 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used subjective verbal response (VR) and galvanic skin response (GSR) to assess the sensitivity of male inmates to intrusion of personal space in a state correctional institution.
Abstract: Thirty-two male inmates at a state correctional institution were selected on the basis of behavioral histories of violence and nonviolence for a study of body buffer-zone characteristics. Subjects were matched according to age and race, and their sensitivity to intrusion of personal space was measured by subjective verbal response (VR) and galvanic skin response (GSR). Results indicated that violent inmates had significantly greater sensitivity to approach than nonviolent subjects on both assessment techniques. Unlike the findings of previous investigations, between-group differences on sensitivity to approach from the rear in relation to approach from the front were not evidenced in this study. For methodological purposes, comparisons were also made of the assessment techniques involved.
TL;DR: Although not seen as a panacea, these agents do appear rapidly to assist the deviant in gaining control of his urges, and when coupled with psychotherapy they serve a valuable adjunct to the therapist armamentarium.
Abstract: Psychological therapies as described by Marshall are but one means of reducing the rapist's and child molester's sexual aggressive urges and behaviors. Various organic therapies have been recommended, including psychosurgery and surgical castration. Spodak, Falck, and Rappeport review a newer and more reversible form of castration, chemical castration by the use of the female hormone medroxyprogesterone acetate and the new antiandrogen, cyproterone acetate. These drugs are used to decrease the functioning level of the male hormone, testosterone. Reduction of testosterone appears to decrease overall sexual drive and rather rapidly allows the rapist or child molester to gain greater control (in some cases complete control) of his aggressive sexual urges.Spodak, Falck, and Rappeport describe the use of these hormonal agents, their effects and side effects, and give therapists some guidelines to follow when using these chemical interventions. Although not seen as a panacea, these agents do appear rapidly to a...
TL;DR: The article suggests not only that a community-based evaluation is feasible and results in a reduced cost and an increase in the protection of individual rights, but also that an evaluation which focuses on legal rather than psychiatric criteria is a sufficient basis for providing the courts with information about a defendant's competency.
Abstract: A study designed to provide some preliminary information on the feasibility of a brief, community-based evaluation as an alternative to a more lengthy, institutionally based evaluation to determine a defendant's competency to proceed with trial is described. The article suggests not only that a community-based evaluation is feasible and results in a reduced cost and an increase in the protection of individual rights, but also that an evaluation which focuses on legal rather than psychiatric criteria is a sufficient basis for providing the courts with information about a defendant's competency. Language: en
TL;DR: The data supported the conclusions that inmates are in general free enough from psychopathology to be able to make rational choices about participating in medical research as long as preliminary screening for individuals with severely disordered thinking is carried out.
Abstract: Thirty-seven inmates who had previously volunteered for phase I drug testing and 33 who had not were interviewed by a psychologist to obtain demographic and motivational data. Each inmate completed a standard psychopathology inventory (the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory), the Similarities and Picture Arrangement subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, a test of normal personality variables (the Edwards Personality Scale), and Christie's Machiavellianism Scale. The data supported the conclusions that (1) inmates are in general free enough from psychopathology to be able to make rational choices about participating in medical research as long as preliminary screening for individuals with severely disordered thinking is carried out, (2) verbal communication skills of inmates appear to be well enough developed to allow them to give an informed consent, (3) while there are personality differences between volunteers and nonvolunteers, these appear to relate most directly to the fact that...
TL;DR: In this paper, follow-up information received from past participants of a school-based social learning program designed for problem adolescents was reported. But, the long-term merits of the behavioral program with this population were not conclusively demonstrated.
Abstract: This investigation reports on follow-up information received from past participants of a school-based social learning program designed for problem adolescents. The follow-up occurred approximately five years after the students' participation in the program. The attitudes and performance of 15 of the original 24 adolescents were assessed on a range of self-report measures, incorporating variables such as their employment and educational status, evaluation of program participation, involvement in leisure-time and community activities, relationships with family and friends, and anticipated aversive consequences of engaging in delinquent acts. Issues of importance to the execution of follow-up studies are reviewed. Data resulting from this pilot study fail to conclusively demonstrate the long-term merits of the behavioral program with this population. Keywords: Juvenile justice Language: en
TL;DR: Brodsky and Hobart as discussed by the authors reviewed four such blame models including the offender blame model, the victim model, situational model, and a societal model and concluded that the combination of these models best explains the occurrence of sexual assault.
Abstract: Therapies of all kinds are based upon certain basic assumptions regarding the causes of the client's behavior. These assumptions are frequently not articulated by the treatment agent, and yet they are the premises on which information is gathered, various components of the client's behavior are examined, and, indeed, treatment programs are developed. Various treatment programs for sexual aggressives operate from a set of such assumptions, called blame models. Each blame model hypothesizes why sexual assault occurs. Brodsky and Hobart review four such blame models including the offender blame model, the victim model, the situational model, and a societal model. At present it is unclear as to which model or combination of models best explains the occurrence of sexual assault, but at least the field is beginning to investigate the various models and their relevance to the overall issues of the treatment of the offender and the prevention of rape.
TL;DR: Eight neuropsychological tests were selected because previous findings had suggested that heavy drug use might be associated with organic brain pathology, and the measures chosen were administered to 102 male legal offenders aged 12-17.
Abstract: Psychologists are often asked to determine whether a given delinquent is or is not a heavy drug user. In order to sharpen the validity of this judgment, eight neuropsychological tests were selected on the basis of ten criteria, including brevity and palatability. Neuropsychological tests were selected because previous findings had suggested that heavy drug use might be associated with organic brain pathology. The measures chosen were administered to 102 male legal offenders aged 12-17. Controls were provided for 1Q, previous head injury, and response bias. To form the criterion of drug usage level, a series of four criteria was employed to divide the boys into 68 heavy users and 34 light users. Maximally discriminating cutoffs, for each of the dependent-variable tests, for each age and ethnicity subgroup, yielded significant differentiation for seven of the eight tests involved. A composite "drug index" correctly identified 74% of the subjects, and when the most discriminating tests for each age and ethni...
TL;DR: In this paper, female rape victims, assault victims, and appropriately matched non-victimized controls completed a questionnaire at several time periods during a one-year interval and assessed the questionnaires assessed the...
Abstract: Female rape victims, assault victims, and appropriately matched non-victimized controls completed a questionnaire at several time periods during a one-year interval. The questionnaires assessed the...
TL;DR: Twenty-four inmates in a Federal Penitentiary reporting serious sleep problems were assigned to one of three treatment groups: relaxation training, relaxation training/ stimulus-control instructions, and delayed treatment control group.
Abstract: Twenty-four inmates in a Federal Penitentiary reporting serious sleep problems were assigned to one of three treatment groups: (1) relaxation training, (2) relaxation training/ stimulus-control instructions, (3) delayed treatment control group. Inmates receiving relaxation/ stimulus-control instructions were able to report a significantly greater decrease in the number of nightly awakenings than the control group. Inmates in both treatment groups reported a significant decrease in state anxiety. An eight-week follow-up indicted that treatment effects were not maintained. Language: en
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of an experimental program of differential classification and treatment were studied by comparing releasees from two Federal Correctional Institutions (FCI) and found that in-program outcomes were statisti...
Abstract: The effects of an experimental program of differential classification and treatment were studied by comparing releasees from two Federal Correctional Institutions. In-program outcomes were statisti...
TL;DR: According to as discussed by the authors, only 13.3% of individuals charged with rape are found guilty of the crime and of those that do go to prison, recidivism rates five years after release indicate that 35% to 70% have recommitted the crime.
Abstract: ape and child molestation pose a major problem in this country. The rape rate is currently 40 to 70 rapes per 100,000 women at risk. The FBI indicates that approximately 55,000 rapes are reported each year. These figures, however, are only the tip of the iceberg, since it is estimated that at least 2.2 rapes are committed for every one reported (some suggest this ratio may actually be 10:1). Society is thus faced with a high incidence of sexual assaults. The problem is what to do about it. One would hope that arrest and incarceration might provide a major solution to this problem. Unfortunately, only 13.3% of individuals charged with rape are found guilty of the crime. Of this 13% that do go to prison, recidivism rates five years after release indicate that 35% to 70% have recommitted the crime. It thus
TL;DR: Cooke et al. as mentioned in this paper used four signs with unitary weights to predict elopement for 67% and 62% of two samples of elopers and incorrectly predicted elopements for 23% of controls.
Abstract: Authors’ Note: Requests for reprints should be sent to Gerald Cooke, Ph. D., Psychology Service, Norristown State Hospital, Norristown, PA 19401. Differences on the MMPI for elopers and non-elopers from a mentally ill offender population were analyzed and a sign approach was developed. Using four signs with unitary weights, correct prediction of elopement was made for 67% and 62% of two samples of elopers and incorrectly predicted elopement for 23% of controls. If a prediction of elopement is made, it is correct 85% of the time. Implications of MMPI differences for the psychological status of elopers are described. The utility of such prediction and cautions in terms of the patient’s right to a least restrictive alternative are discussed.
TL;DR: In this article, changes in the self-concept associated with a period of incarceration were investigated, and some of the changes were related to personality characteristics, as measured by the MMPI, and educational level.
Abstract: Changes in the self-concept associated with a period of incarceration were investigated. Female prisoners in the Iowa Women's Reformatory were administered the usual admissions test battery plus a 24-item Self-Concept Scale consisting of bipolar adjectives. When the same scale was readministered following a six-month period of incarceration, general improvement in the level of self-concept was evident. Moreover, some of the changes were related to personality characteristics, as measured by the MMPI, and educational level. The admission scores on seven of the MMPI clinical scales were significantly correlated negatively to the admissions self-concept scores; however, only three clinical scales were significantly related to self-concept scores obtained after a six-month period of incarceration.
TL;DR: In this article, three distinctions are proposed to determine what types of efforts are necessary to improve the quality of the relationship between the police and the public: first, whether there are different groups within the public which have contrary expectations that are impossible for the police to satisfy simultaneously or whether the disagreements are between police and non-police in general; second, whether the content and psychological significance of the disagreements can be specified; and third, whether negative evaluations of the police represent conflicting beliefs about what are proper police functions and services or emotional reactions arising from contact with regulatory power.
Abstract: Three distinctions are proposed to determine what types of efforts are necessary to improve the quality of the relationship between the police and the public: first, whether there are different groups within the public which have contrary expectations that are impossible for the police to satisfy simultaneously or whether the disagreements are between the police and the nonpolice in general; second, whether the content and psychological significance of the disagreements can be specified; and third, whether negative evaluations of the police represent conflicting beliefs about what are proper police functions and services or emotional reactions arising from contact with regulatory power of the police.
TL;DR: This instrument was successfully utilized to assess the results of groups conducted with female prisoners with drug problems, and three major factors were obtained, labeled Confidence in Interpersonal Involvements, Counseling Readiness, and Self-Reliance.
Abstract: The Public Offender Counseling Inventory was developed to assess counseling outcomes in prisons The instrument was written to be relevant to the special needs of inmates The Public Offender Couns
TL;DR: The development of new evaluation treatment methods for rapists and child molesters has created unique legal and ethical problems for therapists and researchers dealing with this population as discussed by the authors, which has led to the development of a new set of guidelines for dealing with them.
Abstract: The development of new evaluation treatment methods for rapists and child molesters has created unique legal and ethical problems for therapists and researchers dealing with this population. These ...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate several aspects of daily thinking among delinquents and non-delinquents while adequately controlling institutionalization and find that prisoners are more preoccupied with events occurring within the total institution than are soldiers.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate several aspects of daily thinking among delinquents and nondelinquents while adequately controlling institutionalization. For this purpose the following groups were selected: institutionalized delinquents (prison inmates), institutionalized nondelinquents (soldiers), noninstitutionalized delinquents (delinquents on probation), and noninstitutionalized nondelinquents (vocational students). The findings show that prisoners are more preoccupied with events occurring within the total institution than are soldiers. However, in both types of institution, the closer the subjects are to release, the greater their preoccupation with events outside the institution. Prisoners demonstrate a higher proportion of contents related to deviance and delinquency and a lower proportion of cognitive-instrumental contents than probationers. However, as they approach release there is a decrease in the former and an increase in the latter in their life-space. Noninstitutionalized subjects...
TL;DR: Recently, Hirschi and Hindelang as discussed by the authors presented compelling arguments against the contemporary textbook position rejecting intelligence as an important cause of criminal behavior, and proposed a new approach to criminal behavior analysis.
Abstract: Recently, Hirschi and Hindelang (1977) presented compelling arguments against the contemporary textbook position rejecting intelligence as an important cause of criminal behavior. They proposed a c...
TL;DR: In this article, the best predictors of success on work release were the level of institutional adjustment immediately before entering the program, whether the inmate had been convicted of auto theft, history of drug use, and age at first arrest.
Abstract: The literature reveals that many correctional institutions select work releasees solely on the basis of nonalterable historical information. The present study delineated current as well as historical inmate variables predictive of success or failure on a work release program. Subjects were male offenders incarcerated in a minimum security federal institution. The best predictors of success on work release were the level of institutional adjustment immediately before entering the program, whether the inmate had been convicted of auto theft, history of drug use, and age at first arrest.
TL;DR: In this article, ethical choices were assessed for offenders instructed to produce favorable versus unfavorable impressions for prosocial and antisocial responses, and high scores on a dimension of change defined by these variables were related to sociopathic features on the MMPI.
Abstract: Ethical choices were assessed for offenders instructed to produce favorable versus unfavorable impressions. Pronounced impression management effects were obtained for prosocial and antisocial responses, and high scores on a dimension of change defined by these variables were related to sociopathic features on the MMPI. Highly consistent trends did not emerge for avoidance responses, although a secondary dimension of change was identified which contrasted avoidance with antisocial alternatives and was associated with increasing age, numerous prior incarcerations, and a defensive-repressive MMPI pattern. The findings were discussed in terms of their relevance for understanding the impression management manipulations likely to be encountered during the evaluation of different types of offenders.