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FEMALE PRISONERS AND LEGAL SERVICES

NCJ Number
44905
Journal
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF CORRECTIONS Volume: 1 Issue: 4 Dated: (FALL 1977) Pages: 28-33
Author(s)
G P ALPERT; J J WIORKOWSKI
Date Published
1977
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECTS OF SOCIOLEGAL BACKGROUND AND ATTITUDES ON THE USE OF LEGAL SERVICES BY FEMALE INMATES ARE EXPLORED IN A STUDY OF 71 FEMALES SENTENCED TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
Abstract
THE SUBJECTS WERE INTERVIEWED AS THEY WERE ADMITTED TO THE PRISON SYSTEM AND AGAIN 6 T0 7 MONTHS LATER TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY HAD USED THE SYSTEM'S LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM. DATA WERE GATHERED ON SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS, ATTITUDES, AND EXPERIENCES WITH THE LAW AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM. THE DATA SHOW THAT THE NUMBER OF TIMES A WOMAN HAS BEEN ADJUDICATED DELINQUENT APPEARS TO BE THE BEST PREDICTOR OF HER USE OF LEGAL AID. OTHER IMPORTANT FACTORS ARE NUMBER OF CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS, AGE (YOUNGER WOMEN SEEM RELUCTANT TO SEEK LEGAL AID), DEGREE OF PRISONIZATION (THOSE LESS CAUGHT UP IN PRISON CULTURE ARE MORE LIKELY TO SEEK LEGAL AID), AND ATTITUDES TOWARD LAWYERS, THE LAW, THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, AND WORK. THE FINDINGS SUPPORT THOSE OF A SIMILAR STUDY IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. ALTHOUGH THE VARIABLES IN THE TWO STUDIES ARE NOT IDENTICAL, BOTH INVESTIGATIONS SUGGEST THAT ATTITUDES, VALUES, AND EXPERIENCES BROUGHT INTO PRISON FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD ARE PREDICTORS OF LEGAL AID USAGE. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.

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