Search

The process-based model of self-regulation has been evaluated throughout various agencies of the criminal justice system. However, the model has yet to be tested within jails. The goal of the current study is to fill this gap in the literature. Using a sample of 290 men and women incarcerated in a county jail, this study examines the association between inmates' procedural justice perceptions of detention officers and their commitment to institutional rules. Results suggest that net of demographic factors, prior misconduct, and a set release date, procedural justice is the strongest predictor of self-regulation in jails. Policy implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Girls are becoming involved in the juvenile justice system at a remarkable rate. As a result, the juvenile justice system must become more responsive to their physical, mental, and educational needs. Many of these girls have been victims of childhood emotional, sexual, or physical abuse resulting in serious mental health problems. This article describes a psycho-educational group intervention designed for adolescent girls involved in the juvenile justice system that have been affected by childhood abuse. The intervention takes place in a residential program for delinquent girls and is a voluntary group. The psycho-education format allows for the participants to gain information about what abuse is and what the impact of abuse can be on their thoughts and actions. The group format provides a supportive environment that promotes group curative factors and mutual aid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-hundred and ninety-two incarcerated women who were participating in a trauma and abuse psychoeducation program were evaluated for childhood abuse, maltreatment and current dissociative symptoms. The link between childhood abuse and adult criminal behavior has been well studied but the mental health status of adult female inmates and the possible implications for their treatment and behavior is the next step. The participants reported high levels of childhood abuse, 68% reported molestation, 72% rape, 26% emotional abuse, 51% physical abuse. Almost half of the participants reported a clinically significant level of dissociative symptoms. The dissociative group was found to have higher rates of sexual, emotional and physical abuse. They were younger and had shorter sentences. A logistic regression model was developed with only physical abuse being a predictor of clinically significant dissociative symptoms. Results are discussed in terms of how the high level of dissociative symptoms may impact future delinquency and corrections staff and possible future research. doi:10.1300/J229v08n03_02 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study examines the opinions of men and women from a random phone sample of super voters (those persons voting in the last three out of four possible elections) in Florida (N = 413) toward gay men and/or lesbians as adoptive parents. The survey gathered information on whether the respondents would place boys or girls available for adoption with gay men or lesbians. Controlling for various demographic variables, bivariate logistic regressions were performed for each possible parent/child combination. Several variables were consistently significant across the models tested, explaining from 22 to 29% of the variance. These included race/ethnicity, religious identification, respondent's gender, and political ideology. Implications of this study for policy-makers and child welfare practitioners are posited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The case management model developed at the Corrections Mental Health Unit within the Florida Department of Corrections is a treatment model developed to better care for acute psychiatric inmate patients. The rate of readmission to the acute care facility had nearly quadrupled over a six-year period. In response to that, a new case management approach was introduced. It has been shown that this treatment approach has significantly reduced the length of stay for these clients by nearly 27%. This significant finding not only benefits the clients by stabilizing them faster but the treatment has also saved Floridians tax dollars by returning the offenders to their home institution sooner. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]