Attitudes Towards Prisoners Among Inmates, Employees, and Students
Author Information
Author(s): Kjelsberg Ellen, Skoglund Tom Hilding, Rustad Aase-Bente
Primary Institution: Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Ullevaal University Hospital
Hypothesis
Prison inmates will hold the most positive attitudes towards prisoners, while college students will hold the most negative attitudes.
Conclusion
The attitudes towards prisoners differed markedly among the groups investigated, with implications for rehabilitation programs.
Supporting Evidence
- Prison inmates held the most positive attitudes towards prisoners.
- Prison officers had more negative attitudes than other prison employees.
- Students studying business economics held more negative attitudes than those studying nursing.
Takeaway
Different groups of people, like prisoners, prison workers, and students, think very differently about prisoners. This can affect how well prisoners can change and get back to normal life.
Methodology
The Attitudes Toward Prisoners scale was completed by 298 inmates, 387 employees, and 183 college students.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the non-random selection of participants and varying conditions in different prisons.
Limitations
The sample may not be representative due to higher attrition rates among inmates and the study being conducted in only four prisons.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 298 inmates (mostly male), 387 prison employees (56% male), and 183 college students (one-third male).
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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