To assess the informational and recreational reading needs of the inmates in Texas prison units, surveys were conducted at one male and one female correctional facility. Prison populations were identified by age, race, and educational level. Subjects for the preference study were asked questions regarding: (1) reading background; (2) book…

Remarks by the education administrator of the U. S. Department of Justice Bureau of Prisons discussing recidivism in relationship to various program elements: Relevancy of educational programs, participation rates, state administrative structures, inmate characteristics (educational level, skills, intelligence, age), and federal resources. Data is…

Project READ (Reading Efficiency and Delinquency) during its first year involved 4,330 juveniles in 47 states and the District of Columbia. Designed to improve the reading ability of incarcerated juvenile offenders, the program was based on two important facts. A survey of correctional institutions during 1974 assessed the reading abilities of…

The key to productive library service to institution residents and staff is the empathetic, competent librarian who possesses technical library skills in selection, organization, and retrieval of materials; a comprehensive reading background; ability to work with law materials; and familiarity with other professions and the institution. Training…

The Minnesota Youth Advocate Program, which provides adult advocates for school age delinquents, is described, together with a quasi experimental evaluation of the program. The program probably had small positive impact, but reduction in the program was probably guided by lack of funding availability rather than lack of effectiveness. (Author/CTM)

Research in criminal justice involving human subjects has increased greatly, yet we have no code of ethics to guide such research. This paper argues that the primary purpose of a code should be protection of these research subjects, who are especially susceptible to mistreatment because of their prisoner status. (Author)

Will high morale among prison inmates result in low rates of recidivism? This study explores the hypothesis that inmate morale may be an indicator of the effectiveness of prison programs. It is based on an instrument devised by the authors to measure morale. (Author)

Relates learning disabilities with delinquency and discusses the results of a national survey of educational programs for delinquent youth. Focuses on a program of self-control for eliminating disruptive behavior. (RK)

Describes corrections officers' work environment and the need for guard training that includes instruction in handling the social-psychological problems of the job. (Author/ABB)

Determined the attitudes of three Oregon State Penetentiary minority inmate groups -- Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans -- towards the Recreation program as a rehabilitative tool. Used a survey questionnaire representing rehabilitation achievement in three areas (program management, facilty/equipment provision, and personal…

This study measures inmates' perceptions of conditions in a metropolitan detention center. Results indicate that educational programs can reduce the problems associated with crowded conditions. Correlation analyses indicated significant relationships between participation in educational programs and more positive feelings of inmates, along with a…

Compared the effects of extensive group therapy (treatment for drug abusers) on the attitudes of 67 incarcerated young men. Results indicated no significant differences in attitude between the treatment and no-treatment groups, suggesting that group therapy treatment had no rehabilitative advantage over vocational training. (JAC)

The experiences of the External Diploma Program, a competency-based alternative credentialing program for adults, are described in this article. Factors to consider when implementing a program in a maximum security facility are explored. (Author/CT)

Two intensive 11-week moral education programs improved the moral reasoning abilities of medium-security prison inmates. One program was based on the cognitive disequilibrium induction techniques of the Kohlberg orientation, the second on the adequacy of the moral reasoning competencies approach advocated by the Association for Values Education…

This essay, taken from the 2005 KIDS COUNT Data Book, examines four employment barriers that policymakers and others consider among the most difficult to overcome: substance abuse, domestic violence, a history of incarceration, and depression. These burdens can diminish a person's motivation and ability to find work. Furthermore, they can make it…