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DESCRIPTION AND PREDICTION OF THE INTRACTABLE INMATE

NCJ Number
50566
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: (JULY 1978) Pages: 214-228
Author(s)
L B MYERS; G W LEVY
Date Published
1978
Length
15 pages
Annotation
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INTRACTABLE INMATES (THOSE PRESENTING CHRONIC DISCIPLINARY PROBLEMS) AND TRACTABLE INMATES IN AN OHIO PRISON ARE EXAMINED, WITH A VIEW TO DEVELOPING A PREDICTIVE MODEL.
Abstract
DATA WERE GATHERED ON 50 INTRACTABLE AND 50 TRACTABLE INMATES SELECTED BY CORRECTIONAL AND TREATMENT OFFICERS AT THE SOUTHERN OHIO CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. COMPARISON OF THE HISTORIES OF THE TWO GROUPS AND THEIR PSYCHOMETRIC AND PERSONALITY TEST SCORES REVEALED DIFFERENCES. INTRACTABLE INMATES WERE LIKELY TO BE NONWHITE AND SINGLE. THEY WERE NOT HEAVY USERS OF ALCOHOL, AND THEY EXHIBITED DISCIPLINARY PROBLEMS BEFORE INCARCERATION. COMPARED TO TRACTABLE INMATES, INTRACTABLE INMATES BEGAN THEIR CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AT AN EARLIER AGE, MORE OFTEN USED AN ALIAS, HAD MORE POLICE CONTACTS, AND, ONCE INCARCERATED, WERE CONFINED LONGER. IN PRISON, INTRACTABLE INMATES WERE DISOBEDIENT, CREATED DISTURBANCES, POSSESSED AND MANUFACTURED WEAPONS, THREATENED OTHERS, AND DESTROYED PROPERTY. INTRACTABLE INMATES HAD A HIGHER INCIDENCE OF SICK CALLS. TENSION WAS THE PRIMARY COMPLAINT; TRANQUILIZERS WERE THE MOST COMMONLY PRESCRIBED MEDICATION. PROPERLY WEIGHTED, SIX VARIABLES CORRECTLY CLASSIFIED 78 PERCENT OF THE INMATES STUDIED: (1) PERCENT ADULT LIFE INCARCERATED; (2) EXTENT OF ALCOHOL USE; (3) MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY DEPRESSION SCALE SCORE (HIGH SCALE ASSOCIATED WITH INTRACTABILITY; (4) MINNESOTA PAPER FORM BOARD SCORE (LOW SCORE ASSOCIATED WITH INTRACTABILITY; (5) NUMBER OF POLICE CONTACTS AS A JUVENILE; AND (6) USE OF AN ALIAS. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)

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