First-time and recurrent inmates' experiences of imprisonment

The authors surveyed 267 first-time (n = 102) and recurrent (n = 165) adult male inmates from two medium-security prisons in England. The findings revealed significant differences between the two groups of inmates: A relatively higher proportion of recurrent inmates were enrolled in drug treatment programs; a relatively higher proportion of first-time inmates had given up smoking and drinking, whereas more recurrent inmates had given up drugs; recurrent inmates thought about sex significantly more often, whereas first-time inmates were more concerned about being attacked; and finally, the highest proportion of recurrent inmates cited “improved health” as the best thing about being in prison, compared to the highest proportion of first-time inmates who cited “opportunity for rehabilitation.” Results were partially explained by differences in aspects of prisoners’ lives before prison and their differential exposure to imprisonment, and not by prison security, prison regime, or sentence variables. The findings can inform the development of prison regimes and policies that facilitate adjustment to imprisonment

Allocation to Offending Behavior Programs in the English and Welsh Probation Service

The Probation Service of England and Wales delivers three offending behavior programs designed for offenders who have committed any offense. One of the selection criteria for these programs states that offenders should have a medium-high risk of reoffending rather than low or very high risk. This article examines the appropriateness of offender allocation by risk level to these three programs in the Probation Service. There was significant variation in allocation performance by Probation Area and program. Appropriateness of allocation was associated with program completion. Very high—risk offenders were more likely to not start a program that they had been allocated to and more likely to not complete a program once they had started. Appropriateness of allocation also affected reconviction independently of program completion status

The correctional experiences of white-collar offenders

White-collar offenders’ characteristics are thought to mediate the way they experience criminal justice. This is the background for this chapter’s exploration of their correctional experiences. It begins with discussion of offenders’ special sensitivity to punishment, the extent to which white-collar offenders constitute a broadly similar group of offenders and how they may resist taking on a criminal identity. Explorations of their imprisonment emphasize the shock of the transition to prison for white-collar offenders, who cope by drawing upon previous experiences or making themselves useful within prison. This aside, they appear to face no special difficulty adjusting to prison. Less is known about their experience of community corrections, although a perception by both offenders and supervisors that these may offer little of use may mar their effectiveness. The chapter ends by giving consideration to the experiences of white-collar offenders in the wake of punishment, including processes of shaming as they relate to attempts to punish white-collar offenders and more general concerns around their desistance from crime