The aim of the study is to establish longer term effects of institutional and community influences on a sample of young adults who were formerly incarcerated for delinquent behavior. The strengths of the study are: (1) a research design in which institutional treatment is not confounded with respondent characteristics, (2) the availability of data collected at entrance to the institutions, 4 months after arrival, just before departure, and 6 months after return to the community, (3) great success in completing the research design in terms of high completion rates for interviews and being at or ahead of schedule for all data collection and processing, and (4) firm grounding of the research in an integrative theoretical framework based on reference group theory. Outcome measures will include pro- and anti-social behavior (official and self reports), integration into major roles, identify and psychological adjustment.
| Atwood, R; Gold, M; Taylor, R (1989) Two types of delinquents and their institutional adjustment. J Consult Clin Psychol 57:68-75 |
