JCVVS e-newsletter reviews offer a brief
synopsis
of research and programs relevant to violence
and
victim studies. Brevity does not allow for
comprehensive analysis, rather key points and
observations for further review and
consideration.
Reviews are provided by persons affiliated by
the
JCVVS and do not necessarily reflect the
position of
the JCVVS or the affiliate Universities.
Authors: Gaboury, M.T., Sedelmaier, C.M.,
Monahan, L., and Monahan, J.
Title: A Preliminary Evaluation of Behavioral
Outcomes in a Corrections-based Victim Awareness
Program for Offenders
Source: Journal of Victims and Offenders,
Vol. 3,
No. 2. (2008)
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a
793246580~db=all~order=page
Reviewed by: Mario Gaboury
Victim-Awareness Programs in correctional
settings,
sometimes referred to as Impact of Crime on
Victim
Classes, are available in at least some
facilities in a
significant number of corrections departments
in the
U.S. and elsewhere. In 2004, the National
Institute of
Correction conducted a large scale survey with
responses received from a total of 50
jurisdictions
including 47 U.S. states, Washington, D.C.,
Guam and
the Correctional Service Canada. Fully 73%
of U.S.
jurisdictions reported that they conducted
"Victim
impact education/empathy" programs in the report
(U.S. National Institute of Corrections,
2004, p. 10).
Despite this extensive use of these programs,
they
have been subjected to very little empirical
evaluation.
The current research follows up on an earlier
study
that found significant cognitive improvements
in three
of four knowledge and sensitivity factors
measured in
offenders who participated in a Victim Awareness
Program (Monahan, Monahan, Gaboury and Niesyn,
2004). This instant study investigated
disciplinary
infractions that occurred while participants
continued
their incarceration to determine whether or not
participation in the awareness program
influenced
subjects' short-term behavior in the
correctional
setting.
The best available measure of inmate behavior
was
the individual's record of disciplinary
infractions. Each
subject's disciplinary history was
standardized by the
number of months from awareness program
completion to either release or, for those
subjects
who were never released, the end of data
collection.
Initial Chi Square analysis indicated that
the treatment
group committed significantly fewer
infractions than
their comparison group counterparts. In
order to
investigate this further, separate analyses were
performed by severity of infraction, race,
time-to-
release, and the combination of race and time-to-
release.
In all cases except one, there were no
statistically
significant differences in the mean number of
disciplinary actions taken per month against the
program participants versus the comparison group
subjects. These results appear to hold true
across
demographic subdivisions of the sample with
that one
notable exception. That is, for
African-American adult
(21 years old or older) males, the treatment
group
exhibited significantly fewer A-level (most
serious)
disciplinary problems per month on average
than did
their comparison group as described in the table
below.
Serious-Level Disciplinary Actions
per Month: Adjult Male Subjects Released
After Serving Six or More Months Following
Program Completion
| |
|
N |
M |
t |
df |
Sig. |
| All Races
|
Program |
119 |
0.034 |
-1.115 |
251 |
0.266 |
| Comparison |
134 |
0.047 |
|
|
|
| Caucasian |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Program |
33 |
0.040 |
0.892 |
76 |
0.375 |
| Comparision |
45 |
0.024 |
|
|
|
| African-American |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Program |
58 |
0.019 |
-2.946 |
96.508* |
0.004** |
| Comparison |
65 |
0.056 |
|
|
|
| Hispanic |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Program |
28 |
0.060 |
-0.228 |
50 |
0.821 |
| Comparison |
24 |
0.069 |
|
|
|
| * Equal
variances not assumed. ** Significant at 0.05
level. |
Although limited to one group, it is
suggested that this
result is meaningful and useful given that
African-
American males are typically, and regrettably,
overrepresented within the correctional
population.
Moreover, the types of disciplinary issues
involved in
this instance are infractions of the most
serious
nature; typically involving some form of
violence
directed either at other inmates or corrections
officers. Reducing the frequency of such
violent
infractions is critical to improving the
general safety of
both inmates and corrections officers.
References
Monahan, L.H., Monahan, J.J., Gaboury, M.T., and
Niesyn, P.A. (2004) Victim Voices in the
Correctional
Setting: Cognitive Gains in an Offender
Education
Program. Journal of Offender
Rehabilitation. Vol. 39,
No. 21.
U.S. National Institute of Corrections (2004).
Corrections-based Services for Victims of Crime.
Longmont, Colorado: U.S. Department of Justice,
National Institute of Corrections Information
Center
(http://www.nicic.org/pubs/2004/019947.pdf)
