Thursday, January 31, 2008

More NCJRS Abstracts, January 31, 2007

AMONG THE LATEST RESEARCH POSTED AT http://www.ncjrs.gov/. CHECK FOR OTHER ARTICLES OF INTEREST THERE AS WELL.

NCJ 221056
Patricia Gonzalez; Tony Romero; Christine B. Cerbana
Parent Education Program for Incarcerated Mothers in Colorado
Journal of Correctional Education
Volume:58 Issue:4 Dated:December 2007 Pages:357 to 373

This study examined the short-term impact on 219 incarcerated mothers of the Partners in Parenting (PIP) curriculum, a skill-based program that focuses on strengthening family relationships and promoting positive behaviors. This study found that the differences in testing before and after participation in PIP showed that the mothers experienced an increase in their sense of parenting proficiency, improved their parenting skills, and increased their knowledge about parenting. The PIP education curriculum contains material on reintegration issues after release that tend to confront families. Issues discussed include establishing positive social support networks, the school system, and high-risk behaviors by children. All participants in the PIP program were administered a test before and after program participation in order to assess their parenting attitudes before and after program participation. The first section of the test consisted of 10 items that asked the mothers to report on how their parents treated them as they were growing up, with attention to perceptions of whether their parents helped them with their problems and made them feel wanted. The second section of the test contained 10 items that asked the mothers how they parent their children. The questions dealt with such parenting behaviors as respecting their children's opinions and giving their children help with problems. The last section of the test focused on the mothers' feelings about how they have performed as a parent and how parents should treat their children. 3 figures, 2 tables, 9 references, and appended test administered before and after program participation

NCJ 221007
Rita Haverkamp
Implementing Electronic Monitoring
Max-Planck-Institute Fur Auslandisches und Internationales Strafrecht [!!!]

This study compared attitudes of criminal justice professionals toward the electronic monitoring of offenders among criminal justice professionals in Lower Saxony/Germany (n=541) and Sweden (n=440), so as to gain insight into a number of key issues associated with the debate on electronic monitoring. The comparison of the findings in the two countries shows similarities and differences in criminal justice professionals' attitudes toward electronic monitoring. Respondents in both countries hold a positive view of electronic monitoring in principle; however, support among the Swedish criminal justice practitioners is stronger than among their German colleagues. The professionals in both countries want to integrate electronic monitoring as a form of enforcement in the sentencing and correctional system. They also agree on the goal of the measure, i.e., reduction in the use of imprisonment and a reduction in the time spent in prison. During and after prison, the majority of respondents in both Germany and Sweden want the use of electronic monitoring; however, in Sweden the use of electronic monitoring is preferred in the context of parole. Respondents in both countries favor electronic monitoring as an alternative to imprisonment for offenders who are elderly, physically handicapped, chronically sick, or pregnant. In both countries, significantly less support exists for its use with substance abusers, violent offenders, repeat offenders, and sex offenders. In a statement based on these findings, the author suggests a change in the criminal proceedings toward a policy that uses electronic monitoring as an alternative to imprisonment and to shorten time in prison. An appropriate use would be to apply the measure in cases of minor probation or parole violations. Suggestions are offered for when to use electronic monitoring to shorten sentences of various lengths. 4 figures, 30 notes, and 52 references