Showing papers in "International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology in 1980"
TL;DR: In this article, it is shown that there is an almost complete lack of data about violence committed by prisoners, and it is difficult to imagine that there could be an area that we know less about!
Abstract: VIOLENCE in prisons is a serious problem. And it is not merely, ~ nor perhaps even primarily, a problem for society at large, nor for its immediate representative, the administration. First and foremost, it is a problem for the community of prisoners. Prisoners behave violently toward other prisoners and toward staff members. These actions must be prevented, controlled or punished for the institution to survive and for its inhabitants to feel relatively secure. There are also acts of violence, often alleged and sometimes proven, by staff members against prisoners. The occurrence of such events is beyond a reasonable doubt; but data are much less available than those on assaults in the reverse direction. There is also much less knowledge about the dynamics that affect violence on the part of staff members. This is truly astounding: given the almost complete lack of data about violence committed by prisoners, it is difficult to imagine that there could be an area that we know less about!
31 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe an innovative, inexpensive, and somewhat unorthodox form of treatment which is practiced within the New Mexico Forensic System, where offenders are diverted from the court prior to sentencing and participate in the three phase experience outlined below.
Abstract: THE majority of offenders involved with the criminal justice -*system are classified or diagnosed as exhibiting an antisocial syndrome, sometimes &dquo;antisocial personality&dquo;. Efforts at rehabilitation or treatment of most of these people have been by and large unsuccessful, with a great deal of effort and money expended. The experience of mental health professionals, criminal justice personnel, and society in general, has lead to widespread pessimism concerning social prognosis. This paper will describe an innovative, inexpensive, and somewhat unorthodox form of treatment which is practiced within the New Mexico Forensic System. For the past four years the Forensic System-a part of the New Mexico Mental Health Bureau-has provided diagnostic and treatment services for the State’s criminal justice system. One component of these services is a &dquo;Wilderness Experience&dquo;. In this program certain offenders are diverted from the court prior to sentencing-on a voluntary basis-and participate in the three phase experience outlined below. In some instances persons already incarcerated may be referred to the program as part of their process of obtaining parole and/or reentering the community. Population. All the clients who participate in the Wilderness Experience program have some characteristics of antisocial behaviour or personality. Thus they are often individuals who lack the capacity to form significant attachments or loyalties to others; they may be callous and impulse ridden; they may appear devoid of a sense of responsibility; and/or they may fail to learn to modify maladaptive behaviour in spite of repeated punishments or humiliations. Many authors describe defects in the character structure of such individuals, including a failure to develop a socialized superego and ego ideals, self-aggrandizement, a tendency to control others, and constant striving for immediate gratification&dquo;. Although some people with such oharacteristics may successfully adapt to their environment, the Wilderness Experience emphasizes the treatment of persons from the unsuccessful end of the antisocial spectrum. The clients most often referred to this program are ones who are &dquo;socially impotent&dquo;; that is, they exhibit a lack of personal strength or will, and an inability to successfully solve problems, especially in situations of stress.
15 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focus on the elements which tend to generate violent behaviors among female prisoners and discuss the role of women in criminal behavior in the criminal justice system and the factors that lead to women becoming more vulnerable to criminal risk.
Abstract: This article is on the elements which tend to generate violent behaviors among female prisoners.* While human aggression is increasingly becoming a subject for scientific research, female aggressiveness has received inadequate attention, yet female criminality is on the increase. In 1975 the arrest rate for females rose nearly four times faster than that of males. Changing attitudes of law enforcement officials, and man in general, towards the female and the latter’s increasingly greater involvement and participation in the social and economic arenas of life, perhaps account for the rise in these figures. Sir Leon Radzinowicz explains: &dquo;This is one of criminology’s few laws ... Any member of society who starts to take an increasing role in the economic and social life of that society will be more exposed to crime and will have more opportunities and therefore will become more vulnerable and more prone to criminal risk&dquo;. (Radzinowicz and Wolfgang, 1971). Between 1960 and 1972, the number of boys under the age of 18 who were arrested for serious offenses in the United States went up about 80 per cent; for women, the increase was more than 306 per cent. (Virginia, 1976: 28). There is a general dearth of scientific literature on female crimi-
14 citations
TL;DR: Banishment in Ancient Times In ancient Greece, one who had committed murder had the option of leaving the country voluntarily in order to avoid suffering retaliation by the victim's family as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Banishment in Ancient Times In ancient Greece, one who had committed murder had the option of leaving the country voluntarily in order to avoid suffering retaliation by the victim’s family. In 508 B.C., Athens adopted a ten year period of exile for political offenders. To be exiled in this fashion, a majority of votes cast in a special election open to all Athenian citizens had to favor the action, which was called ostracism. Ordinary banishment involved the confiscation of the estate of the exiled citizen, but under ostracism, the offender was allowed to retain his or her property. Fame was
5 citations
TL;DR: The number of opponents of rehabilitation has steadily increased and this bifurcation within the correctional field has left correctional philosophy in a state of chaos.
Abstract: SINCE the publication of The Effectiveness of Correctional Treatment by Lipton, Martinson and Wilks’ and dWhat Works ?Questions and Answers about Prison Reformd by Martinson,2 the number of opponents of rehabilitation has steadily increased. This diverse group of individuals advocate surveillance, punishment, isolation, and retribution as alternatives to the rehabilitation strategy of criminal corrections. Reacting to this opposition, proponents of rehabilitation have responded by defending their position. This bifurcation within the correctional field has left correctional philosophy in a state of chaos.
4 citations
TL;DR: The continued pathology approach is as influential in sustaining deviance as the myriad of casual factors historically blamed as mentioned in this paper, which are doomed to continued deviance, social and psychological difficultties, rearrest, reconviction, recidivism and reinstitutionalization.
Abstract: are doomed to continued deviance, social and psychological difficultties, rearrest, reconviction, recidivism and reinstitutionalization. Perhaps this continued pathology approach is as influential in sustaining deviance as the myriad of casual factors historically blamed. Positive outcomes research attempts to counter the pathology approach. Rather than accentuate the negative, this research seeks
4 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the influence of imprisonment on the matrimonial life of imprisoned women has been discussed in detail before in Polish criminological literature, and the authors concluded that the better a husband functions in his family, the more likelihood is there for his legal and social correction.
Abstract: a good stable family relationship and adaptation to a law abiding life and good work performance. The better a husband functions in his family, t~he more likelihood is there for his legal and social correction. The problem of the influence of imprisonment on the matrimonial life of imprisoned women has never been discussed in detail before in Polish criminological literature. During the years 1963-66 we carried out research in prisons on
3 citations
3 citations
2 citations
TL;DR: This paper pointed out that most ordinary victims are physically, mentally and socially impaired persons who cannot take good care of themselves, and that a sickly looking man or an elderly women are more likely to be held up than a sturdy young man.
Abstract: or kidnapping the child of a millionaire, are aimed at the rich, but the much more frequent and unspectacular everyday offenses hit the weak. Most ordinary victims are physically, mentally and socially impaired persons who cannot take good care of themselves. Obviously a sickly looking man or an elderly women are more likely to be held up than a sturdy young man; persons with slow reactions have their pockets picked; confused immigrants are duped; teenagers adrift in the big city exploited; children in the slums attacked
2 citations
TL;DR: GROUP therapy is one of the truly innovative therapeutic approaches to have emerged in the past 25 to 35 years and why it did not emerge sooner in a general way is an interesting question.
Abstract: GROUP therapy is one of the truly innovative therapeutic approaches to have emerged in the past 25 to 35 years. Why it did not emerge sooner in a general way is an interesting question. More than 40 years ago the Alcoholics Anonymous movement was fairly well under way and all serious students of human psychology recognized its inherent strength as a method for the rehabilitation of chronic alcoholics. The Moral Rearmament Movement was
TL;DR: In the seven years since community service was launched, the number of orders per year has grown from 1,000 in 1974 to 19,400 in 1978, although the figures for the first six months of 1979 show
Abstract: areas just beginning to realise that it was working, and wondering about the next stage. Now, four years later, every probation area in England and Wales has a community service scheme, and as more and more people gain experience and individual schemes develop, some fundamental questions are being raised. Some are the same questions which were asked when community service began, others arise from the growth and the experience gained since then. In this article I would like to review where we are to-day in the development of community service and make some comments on the issues which are around and some of the difficulties which are being faced. In the seven years since community service was launched, the number of orders per year has grown from 1,000 in 1974 to 19,400 in 1978, although the figures for the first six months of 1979 show
TL;DR: The concept and characteristics of the borderline individual have yet to be solidified as discussed by the authors, although interest is easy to identify, agreement concerning the concept and characteristic of the border individual have not yet been solidified, and the authors of this article will attempt to give but a brief outline, mentioning some of the more prominent authors, aware that by the time this article is printed other articles will have emerged.
Abstract: GROWTH in the amount of professional literature devoted to the borderline individual, gives evidence of the interest in this topic. Although interest is easy to identify, agreement concerning the concept and characteristics of the borderline individual have yet to be solidified. I will attempt to give but a brief outline, mentioning some of the more prominent authors, aware that by the time this article is printed other articles will have emerged.
TL;DR: The Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in Rhode Island has been the focus of a number of protests over the past two years as discussed by the authors. But, as stated by the authors, "unpredictable violence is the hallmark of mental illness".
Abstract: 3. Unpredictable violence is the hallmark of mental illness. Over the past two years, while working at the Institute of Mental Health, Rhode Island’s 1000-bed State Hospital, I have had the opportunity to live with patients and staff on 34 wards and to interview about 2,000 members of the IMH community or their families. Unpredictable violence is the over-riding concern of almost everybody. IMH is the very landmark which has petrified in its architecture that all-pervasive fear of unpredictable violence-it looks, sounds, and smells like a maximum security facility on many of its wards. &dquo;Control&dquo; is the order of the day. The most recent strike and the tremendous damage it did to IMH including the exodus of faculty physicians erupted over staffing patterns or, more precisely, the attempt to change staffing patterns which were geared to the assumption that the unpredictable outbreak of violence anywhere, anytime, requires a fixed number of staff to guarantee life and safety. Though some of these fears may have been exploited politically, I am convinced they are deep-seated. The most telling evidence I have regarding the public’s connecting violence with mental illness is the Mental Health Law of Rhode
TL;DR: For example, Lowry as mentioned in this paper described the work of a Prison Social Welfare Officer in this Journal, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 29-40, and sent us a "letter" to an imaginary friend whom he had not seen for some years, but who had a good background knowledge of the workings of the British Probation Service.
Abstract: Mr. P. Lowry wrote a description of the work of a Prison Social Welfare Officer in this Journal, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 29-40. When we asked him to contribute another article on his present work as Senior Probation Officer in Hereford—a relatively quiet rural area of the West Country, he sent us this "letter" to an imaginary friend whom he had not seen for some years, but who had—as we hope our readers have-a good background knowledge of the workings of the British Probation Service. He felt he could in this way, in colloquial language, give a more vivid description of his various activities than would be possible in a formal article giving theoretical ideas and statistical details.
TL;DR: Richards as discussed by the authors reported that he could not tolerate the isolation of a patient who had been locked in her room because of violence: When I first went into her room she flew at me like a tigress, and it took the combined efforts of myself and three attendants to hold her three-fourths of an hour, with her head on the floor and her back down; she struggled and swore and used the vilest of language, spat in my face and was terribly violent, but we simply held here there until she quit struggling...
Abstract: an example of satiation described by Shakespeare. In further illustration that nothing is new under the sun, an example of behavioral control of violence is provided from the Proceedings of the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane. Dr. A. B. Richards was the superintendent of the Ohio Asylum for the Insane in 1886 at Athens, Ohio. He reported that he could not tolerate the isolation of a patient who had been locked in her room because of violence: When I first went into her room she flew at me like a tigress, and it took the combined efforts of myself and three attendants to hold her three-fourths of an hour, with her head on the floor and her back down; she struggled and swore and used the vilest of language, spat in my face and was terribly violent, but we simply held here there until she quit struggling ...’ When the struggle ended, the patient was immediately reinforced with food, dressed, and placed in a social situation. Later that day she attacked an attendant, and the same procedure was repeated. She was held in the same manner, and the struggle lasted one-half hour. The final part of the extinction curve was plotted 24 hours later, when the struggle lasted only ten minutes. There were no
TL;DR: In this paper, a police officer learns how to approach disturbed people who threaten him and others with fire arms, and enhances his chances of survival by learning how to deal with such threats.
Abstract: Since most homicides, we now know, occur among family mem bers and most involve firearms, there is probably no type of call more frightening to the police officer than one concerning a man with a gun. With such a call, a policeman knows very well he runs a risk of becoming one of those homicide victims. By learning how to approach disturbed people who threaten him and others with fire arms, the officer enhances his chances of survival.