A Survey Of Minnesota Prison Inmates

A Survey of Minnesota Prison Inmates First published in 1994

Jane F. Gilgun Kay Pranis Richard C. Ericson

This study identified risk and protective factors in the lives of Minnesota prison inmates during their teenage years. Compared to non-inmate samples, prison inmates were far less likely to talk to others about their problems and find that it helped, but they did not differ from non-inmates in believing that their parents loved them. We outline strategies for prevention. At the end of this document is a reading list of articles that the first author wrote during the 15 years since she was the principal investigator of this study.

About the Authors Jane F. Gilgun, Ph.D., LICSW, is a professor, School of Social Work, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, USA. See Professor Gilgun’s related articles, children’s stories, and books on Amazon Kindle, pdfcoke.com/professorjane, and stores.lulu.com/jgilgun. In 1994, when this research took place, Jane Gilgun was the principal investigator, Kay Pranis was director of research, Minnesota Council on Crime and Justice, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, and Richard C. Ericson was president of the Minnesota Council on Crime and Justice. The Minnesota State Legislature funded this study.

2

Two
Boys,
Similar
Backgrounds:
 
One
Goes
to
Prison
and
one
Does
Not:
Why?
 
 icture
 two
 boys
 growing
 up
 in
 the
 same
 neighborhood.
 Both
 are
 10,
 live
 in
 middle‐class
 neighborhoods,
are
intelligent,
and
witnessed
their
fathers
beating
their
mothers.
Their
fathers
 beat
both
of
them.
Both
experienced
sexual
abuse.
The
person
who
sexually
abused
Rob
was
his
 father.
The
person
who
sexually
abused
Marty
was
an
older
kid
in
the
neighborhood.
 
 One
will
grow
into
responsible
adulthood:
optimistic,
a
loving
husband
and
father,
and
a
dependable
 employee.
The
other
will
become
a
prison
inmate.
 
 What
creates
the
difference
in
these
two
lives?
 
 Rob:
Trust
in
Others
 
 Rob
confided
in
a
friend
named
Pete
when
his
father
beat
him
and
when
he
had
worries
about
school,
 friendships,
and
money.

He
learned
from
Pete’s
father
how
to
fix
electronic
equipment.
He
tried
to
be
 like
 his
 friend’s
 father.
 
 He
 liked
 school
 and
 enjoyed
 playing
 with
 other
 kids
 at
 school
 and
 in
 the
 neighborhood
 
 As
Rob
grew
older,
his
circle
of
friends
widened.
He
developed
hopes
and
dreams
for
the
future.

He
 kept
a
diary
where
he
recorded
secret
stuff
about
his
troubles
in
his
family,
his
feelings
for
girls,
and
 how
his
day
went.
He
got
drunk
at
a
party
when
he
was
16
and
didn’t
like
the
feeling
of
being
out
of
 control.
After
that
he
drank
only
occasionally,
and
not
too
much.
 
 As
a
young
adult,
Rob
sought
professional
help
for
his
feelings
of
anger,
sadness,
and
frustration
about
 the
abuse
he
experienced
as
a
child.
 
 Marty:
Broken
Trust
 
 Marty,
 at
 the
 age
 of
 eight,
 confided
 in
 a
 teacher
 that
 his
 father
 beat
 him.
 He
 also
 wanted
 to
 tell
 the
 teacher
about
the
older
boy
in
the
neighborhood
who
sexually
abused
him,
but
he
thought
he
would
 wait
to
see
how
the
teacher
handled
the
news
of
his
physical
abuse.
The
teacher
called
his
father,
who
 said
he
had
never
beaten
Marty.
When
Marty
got
home
from
school,
his
father
beat
him
for
telling
the
 teacher.
 
 Marty
never
confided
in
anyone
again.
Instead,
he
tried
to
be
tough,
like
men
he
saw
in
video
games
 and
on
TV.
They
didn’t
feel
hurt
or
helpless.

They
took
what
they
wanted.

They
were
in
charge.

 
 By
the
age
of
10,
Marty
was
stealing
from
stores
and
harassing
other
children,
physically
and
sexually.

 He
 was
 doing
 poorly
 in
 school
 At
 11,
 he
 joined
 a
 group
 who
 stole
 and
 sometimes
 attacked
 others,
 vandalized
property,
and
used
alcohol
and
drugs.
Marty
told
himself
he
was
having
fun.
 
 At
14,
Marty
was
in
a
juvenile
correctional
center.
Five
years
later,
he
was
convicted
and
sentenced
to
 12
years
in
prison
for
criminal
sexual
conduct.



P


3

Similar
Risks,
Different
Outcomes
 
 As
 children,
 Rob
 and
 Marty
 were
 both
 at
 risk
 for
 committing
 violent
 acts.
 
 One
 had
 on‐going
 relationships
with
people
he
trusted
and
in
whom
he
confided
personal,
sensitive
information.
Doing
 so
helped
him
feel
better.
Positive
experiences
and
relationships
were
protective
factors.
 
 Marty
had
some
protective
factors,
but
a
pile‐up
of
risk
factors
overwhelmed
them.
His
life
might
have
 been
far
different
had
there
been
early
and
effective
responses
to
his
report
of
physical
abuse
at
home.
 Resilience
 
 Many
people
have
risks
for
outcomes
like
Marty’s,
but
most
people
with
these
risks
turn
out
like
Rob
 because
 they
 have
 many
 positive
 factors
 in
 their
 lives
 that
 they
 use
 to
 help
 them
 work
 through
 the
 effects
of
these
risks.
 
 Such
 people
 are
 resilient,
 meaning
 they
 have
 learned
 to
 cope
 with,
 adapt
 to,
 or
 overcome
 risks,
 because
they
use
the
positive
things
in
their
lives.
Rob,
for
instance,
trusted
Pete
and
Pet’s
family.
He
 gained
a
sense
of
self‐worth
through
his
close
relationships
with
them.

 
 He
 never
 sexually
 abused
 anyone,
 and
 at
 a
 party
 when
 he
 was
 a
 teen,
 he
 stopped
 another
 boy
 from
 raping
a
girl
who
had
had
too
much
to
drink.
“He
might
have
put
something
in
her
drink,”
Rob
said.

 
 
Other
people
are
not
resilient.

In
Marty’s
case,
he
made
a
decision
early
in
life
never
to
trust
anyone
 else.

He
was
far
too
young
to
understand
the
consequences
of
his
decision.
 
 When
we
look
at
the
numbers
of
children
who
are
hurt
and
afraid,
what
can
each
of
us
do
to
help
these
 children
build
the
trust
required
to
begin
to
deal
with
the
difficult
events
in
their
lives?
 
 Bridge­Building
 
 Only
trained
professionals
can
provide
hurt
children
with
the
extensive
help
they
require,
but
people
 can
become
bridges
for
hurt
children,
bridges
that
lead
to
safe
and
secure
relationships
with
 competent
professionals
who
can
help
children
deal
with
the
harsh
realities
in
their
lives.
 
 In
 the
 best
 of
 all
 worlds,
 the
 children’s
 parents
 will
 walk
 with
 their
 children
 across
 that
 bridge
 to
 professional
help.
When
parents
cannot
do
this,
then
their
children
will
have
a
tougher
time,
but
they
 may
be
lucky
as
Rob
was
and
find
a
network
of
people
who
will
care
about
them
and
stick
with
them
 over
the
long
term.
 
 The
Present
Study
 
 This
study
identified
risk
and
protective
factors
in
the
lives
of
Minnesota
prison
inmates
during
 their
adolescence.

We
compared
the
inmates
on
key
risk
and
protections
with
three
other
groups:
1)
a
 sample
 of
 800
 randomly
 chosen
 Minnesota
 adults,
 2)
 a
 sample
 of
 adolescent
 offenders,
 and
 3)
 a
 sample
of
36,000
Minnesota
adolescents
from
the
general
population.

These
comparisons
helped
us
 seem
more
clearly
what
distinguishes
inmates
from
persons
who
are
not
inmates.
 
 Social
 policy
 and
 preventive
 programming
 can
 be
 built
 upon
 the
 principles
 of
 increasing
 protections
and
decreasing
risks.
 4

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
 This
report
is
made
possible
by
funding
authorized
by
the
Minnesota
State
Legislature
to
assess
 experiential
and
environmental
factors
in
the
lives
of
Minnesota
inmates.

Senators
Ellen
Anderson
 and
Jane
Ranum
were
the
authors
of
the
legislation
and
the
project’s
leading
advocates.
 
 The
Department
of
Corrections
was
commissioned
to
administer
the
study.

The
Department’s
 cooperation
and
counsel
made
possible
an
extensive
survey
of

Minnesota
prison
inmates
which
 provides
the
central
data
base
for
this
study.
 
 United
Way
of
Minneapolis
Area,
the
University
of
Minnesota,
and
Norwest
Corporation
contributed
 significant
resources
that
made
it
possible
to
incorporate
additional
research
and
evaluation
required
 for
this
report.
 
 The
study
and
preparation
of
the
report
were
directed
by
the
Minnesota
Citizens
Council
on
Crime
and
 Justice
in
collaboration
with
the
University
of
Minnesota
School
of
Social
Work
and
the
National
 Adolescent
Health
Resource
Center,
University
of
Minnesota,
Twin
Cities..
 
 The
authors
are
grateful
to
members
of
the
Project
Advisory
Group,
who
contributed
hours
of
 consultation
on
the
construction
of
the
inmate
survey
and
the
interpretation
of
results.

The
Group
 represents
many
sectors
of
the
community.

 
 A
special
thanks
to
Randy
Speer
for
his
contributions
to
the
design
and
presentation
of
this
document.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Jane
F.
Gilgun,
Ph.D.,
LICSW
 Associate
Professor,
School
of
Social
Work
 University
of
Minnesota,
Twin
Cities,
USA
 Kay
Pranis
 Restorative
Justice
Planner
 Minnesota
Department
of
Corrections
 (formerly
Director
of
Research,
Citizens
Council)
 Richard
C.
Ericson
 President
 Citizens
Council
 5


 
 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

RISKS
AND
PROTECTIONS........................................................................................................................................................ 1
 
 EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY................................................................................................................................................................ 6
 
 THEORY
AND
DESCRIPTION
OF
SAMPLES ...................................................................................................................... 8
 


FINDINGS
AND
IDEAS
FOR
ACTION ..................................................................................................................................... 9
 
 LIMITATIONS ................................................................................................................................................................................ 23
 FURTHER
READING................................................................................................................................................................... 24
 


6




A Survey of Minnesota Prison Inmates EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This study measures risk and protective factors associated with prison inmates, primarily during their adolescence.

What seems clear is that their many risks overwhelmed whatever protective factors were present.

The data on risk and protection factors of inmates was compared with similar data on two non-inmate samples and one sample of incarcerated juveniles. It was found that both protective factors and risk factors distinguish inmates from non-inmates. The data indicate that most inmates had more risks and fewer protective factors than the non-inmates representing the general population. Inmates’ protections were overwhelmed by risks.

We can learn from the lives of these inmates. Risk factors such as poverty, abuse, the absence of fathers and out-of-home placement were reported by a large portion of inmates. This suggests that the effective steps to reduce crime must emphasize preventative measures during childhood.

These findings support widely assumed relationships between adult criminal behavior and the experiences and circumstances of childhood and adolescence. Inmates were not without positive forces in their early years. For example, most inmates reported feeling that their parents cared for them, and did not differ significantly from non-inmates in this regard. Yet, feeling cared for was not enough.

The data show, for instance, that discussing personal problems during adolescence is a powerful protective factor when practiced, and a dangerous risk when it is not. This insight could potentially guide social policies and programs in new directions. The findings of this study do not excuse antisocial behavior, nor is it unreasonable to hold people accountable for their choices. They do suggest, however, that the efficient use of public funds in reducing crime is investment at the “front end” – an investment in Minnesota’s children.

7

THEORY AND DESCRIPTION OF SAMPLES Protective factors can shield individuals from poor development outcomes. Persons who have these factors in their lives are likely to overcome substantial risks. The following examples of protective factors have been identified by long term studies following children into young adulthood. •

Being respected and accepted within families and other social institutions such as neighborhoods, communities, schools, religious organizations, libraries, and playgrounds

•

Close, on-going relationships with others who model pro-social behaviors and values and who are confidants and who encourage emotional expressiveness

•

Opportunities for education and jobs

•

Witnessing family members and others with whom we identify as being treated with respect and acceptance and as having economic and educational opportunities

Risk factors are associated with poor developmental outcomes when individuals have few or ineffective protective factors. Poor developmental outcomes include committing crimes and acting in violent ways. The following are examples of risk factors. Again, these examples have been identified by previous longitudinal studies. •

Adults and peers in families and neighborhoods who model disrespect for and violence against other

•

Few if any close relationships that model pro-social behaviors and values

•

Childhood abuse and neglect

•

Poverty

•

diminished opportunities for education and education

• Racism and discrimination resulting in diminished opportunities for education and jobs. We developed the survey to measure risk and protective factors experienced by inmates during adolescence. In order to compare inmates’ experience with a non-inmate population, we took questions from the Adolescent Health Survey developed by the Adolescent Health Resource Center and included them in the inmate survey. In January 1994, we distributed printed questionnaires to the total state prison population of about 4000 inmates. This study is based on responses from 1700 prison inmates, about 1600 men and 100 women. Focusing on the experiences of inmates during adolescence allowed for comparisons of inmates with two other groups. These groups 36,000 Minnesota public school students in grades 7-12 who took the Adolescent Health Survey in 1987 and 540 juveniles in Minnesota detention and correctional facilities who were surveyed in 1991. To assess whether the inmates’ recollections of childhood and adolescent experiences were reliable, inmates were further compared to a sample of 800 randomly selected Minnesota adults. Key questions on risks and protections were included in this survey conducted by telephone in 1993 by the Minnesota Center for Survey Research. Three comparison groups were thus used in this study to identify the differences between Minnesota prison inmates and other Minnesota citizens. We expected that the experiences of inmates would differ from the sample of Minnesota adults and the public school students. Groups that had similar outcomes, the inmates and the incarcerated juveniles, were expected to have had similar experiences during adolescence.

8

9

Findings and Ideas for Action For each of the findings, the substantiating data is provided. Also shown are Ideas for Action, offered for consideration in planning policies and developing programs that are designed to enhance protective factors and ameliorate risks. Finding 1: Inmates and Students Felt Cared About by At Least One Parent During Adolescence Chart 1: Felt Cared About by At Least One Parent Inmates, Students, and Adults

90%


90%
 89%
 88%


85%


82%


Male
Inmates
 Female
Inmates
 Male
Adults


Female
Adults
 Male
Students
 Female
Students


High percentage of inmates, students and randomly selected Minnesota adults reported feeling cared about by their parents. IDEAS FOR ACTION •

•

Use what young people say about caring by their parents and others to help develop further programming. Program developers could discover key strategies through conversations with youth. Policy planners and program developers could take some time to talk to each other about what caring is and how caring might be incorporated into policy and programs. Ideas such as attachment, inclusion, a sense of belonging, helping each other learn new skills and learning to cope with people who seem not to care might provide some direction in building on a wish to feel cared about.

•

Although most inmates felt cared for by parents, many also were maltreated by parents and most did not discuss problems with their parents. These three conditions are contradictory. Making sense of such contradictory conditions is impossible without help from others. Our young people need help from caring adults in coping with these incongruencies.

10

Finding 2: More Inmates Did Not Want to Discuss Problems in Adolescence, and Fewer Inmates than Students Did Discuss Problems and Found It Helped Chart 2: Discussed Problems with Family or Friends Inmates and Students 54%


33%


31%


6%


Did
Not
Want
to
Discuss
Problems
 Inmates


Discussed
and
Found
It
Helped
 Students


About one third of inmates reported that as adolescents they were reluctant to discuss their problems with others, compared with only six percent of students. Nearly one third of inmates reported they did discuss their problems and felt that it helped them, while the percentage was significantly higher for students. IDEAS FOR ACTION •

Increase the capacity of parents, teachers, and other adults with whom children and adolescents come in contact to listen to, hear, and respond to children and adolescents when they want to talk about their problems and are seeking ideas of how to handle difficult situations and emotions.

•

Increase the social communication skills of young people through • teaching the identification and constructive expression of feelings to young people and to the parents, teachers, and other adults with whom they come in contact. This could be part of a curriculum on communication skills and conflict

mediation in schools, youth-serving agencies, and religious organizations. When parents and others significant to young people are involved with youth in capacity-building skills, the effectiveness of the training is greatly increased. This training would help children and youth not only identify issues that trouble them but would also help them to express their thoughts and feelings about these issues. •

teaching older children to teach other younger children mediation and communication skills. Advantage: young people respond well to other young people. This is a capacity-building and selfsustaining; young people can bring these skills into other situations. 11

Finding 3: Inmates’ Responses Indicate More Physical and Sexual Abuse in Childhood and Adolescence Chart 3: Physical or Sexual Abuse Inmates and Students 53%
 46%
 37%


26%


16%


14%
 5%


2%


Physical
Abuse
 Male
Inmates


Sexual
Abuse


Female
Inmates


Male
Students


Female
Students


Questionnaires indicated inmates were physically and sexually abused as adolescents in substantially higher percentages than students. IDEAS FOR ACTION •

Educate parents, other adults, adolescents, and children about physical and sexual abuse and how it affects development. Provide information on ways of dealing with abuse and neglect if they occur.

•

Educate parents through parent education programs and public awareness campaigns of the differences between discipline and physical abuse, and provide information on effective alternatives to physical punishment.

•

Continue to educate professionals through inservice and continuing education.

•

Support the expansion of programs dealing with abuse throughout the community.

•

Educate students in human services and education through course work and internships.

12

Finding 4: Fathers Were Absent More Often in Families of Inmates Chart 4: Father Absent From Home Inmates and Students

61%
 56%


38%
 34%


Male
Inmates


Female
Inmates


Male
Students


Female
Students


Similar percentages of male and female inmates reported their fathers had been absent from home, during their adolescence. In both cases, the percentage is significantly higher than that of male and female students. IDEAS FOR ACTION •

Encourage positive involvement of fathers in families, with major emphasis on the emotional and nurturing roles of fathers.

•

Encourage the development of education programs for fathers on fathering. Keep in mind that most inmates have one or more children and most inmates return to their families. Education of inmates on fathering would reduce risks for their children, who are at higher risk than children in families where no family member has been incarcerated.

•

Recognize that in some families, fathers are sources of abuse and neglect and some families function better without abusive fathers present.

•

In some instances, father substitutes, such as coaches, teachers, friends’ fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and big brothers, can play important roles in the lives of children and adolescents. Public awareness campaigns might encourage the development of these relationships.

13

Finding 5: Fewer Inmates’ Parents Completed High School Chart 5: Parents Did Not Complete High School Inmates and Students

26%
 24%
 21%
 19%


10%


10%


10%
 7%


Father
Did
Not
Complete
High
School
 Male
Inmates


Female
Inmates


Mother
Did
Not
Complete
High
School
 Male
Students


Female
Students


Male and female students reported in similar percentages that their parents did not complete high school. For male and female inmates the percentages were significantly higher.

•

IDEAS FOR ACTION Create family literacy programs and support • Develop neighborhood-based continuing those that already exist. Some programs such education for parents and other adults: in as Head Start have companion programs to neighborhood schools provide academic educate parents in fundamental academic training to prepare parents and other adults skills: reading, writing, and math. These for jobs; provide childcare in these programs. programs can be greatly expanded.

14

Finding 6: More Families of Inmates Received Welfare Chart 6: Family Received Welfare Inmates and Students

39%
 33%


3%


Male
Inmates


Female
Inmates


Male
Students


5%


Female
Students


More than 30 percent of inmates reported their families had been on welfare during their adolescence. The percentage for students was less than five percent. IDEAS FOR ACTION •

Create jobs which pay good wages in lowincome neighborhoods.

•

Give economic incentives to persons willing to establish businesses in low-income neighborhoods.

•

Reduce or eliminate reliance on welfare and encourage economic self-sufficiency.

15

Finding 7: Drug and Alcohol Abuse Was More Common Among Inmates in Adolescence Chart 7: Drug and Alcohol Abuse Inmates, Institutionalized Juveniles, and Students 56%
 51%


47%


45%


41%
 39%


33%
 23%


20%


18%


13%
 8%


Heavy
Alcohol
Use*
 Male
Inmates


7%


5%


7%


5%


0%
 1%


Weekly/Daily
Marijuana
Use
 Weekly/Daily
Cocaine,
Crack,
or
 Heroin
Use
 Female
Inmates


Male
Institutionalized
Juveniles


Female
Institutionalized
Juveniles


Male
Students


Female
Students


*Six or more glasses/cans/drinks of beer, wine, or hard liquor consumed at one time

Heavy use of alcohol, and weekly use of marijuana and illegal drugs were reported by a substantially higher percentage of inmates and institutionalized juveniles than by students. IDEAS FOR ACTION •

Expand the education of youths, parents, • school personnel and others to recognize the early signs of drug and alcohol abuse.

Increase the duration of insurance coverage for such programs to improve efficiency and staying power.

•

Create and enhance innovative drug and • alcohol abuse treatment programs that foster resolving problems that lead to the chemical abuse in the first place. These problems include the risk factors of sexual/physical/emotional abuse and • inability to confide and to talk about feelings and problems, and pressures to use chemicals and act out in anti-social ways as means of feeling part of a group.

Create incentives to establish more treatment programs; long waiting periods for admission would thus be reduced or eliminated. Evaluate these programs: Pay careful attention to whether the services these programs offer are responsive to the issues presented by youth and their families and whether these services divert youth from behaviors related to chemical abuse.

16

Finding 8: More Inmates Felt Depressed in Adolescence Chart 8: Felt Depressed/Suicidal Inmates, Institutionalized Juveniles, and Students

67%


36%
 38%


36%


30%


25%
 18%


22%


33%
 21%


18%
 7%


Felt
Sad,
Discouraged,
Hopeless


Attempted
Suicide


Male
Inmates


Female
Inmates


Male
Institutionalized
Juveniles


Female
Institutionalized
Juveniles


Male
Students


Female
Students


The percentage of inmates and institutionalized juveniles who reported feeling depressed and attempting suicide was much higher than the percentage reported by students. In all three populations, females reported these feelings in greater portions than males. IDEAS FOR ACTION •

•

Provide affordable, neighborhood-based, • culturally appropriate mental health services for young people and their families, services that build on client strengths and take into account individual differences along such • lines as gender, age, and sexual orientation. Create incentives to establish more treatment programs; long waiting periods for admission would thus be reduced or eliminated.

Increase the duration of coverage for such programs to improve efficiency and staying power. Evaluate these programs: Pay careful attention to whether the services these programs offer are responsive to the issues presented by youth and their families and whether these services divert youth from behaviors related to depression.

17

Finding 9: Fewer Inmates Liked School and Were Concerned About School Work Chart 9: Liked School/Concerned About School Inmates and Students 84%


84%


78%


76%


71%
 62%
 56%
 49%


Liked
School
 Male
Inmates


Concerned
About
Schoolwork


Female
Inmates


Male
Students


Female
Students


Almost an equal percentage of students reported liking school and being concerned about school. They reported liking school in somewhat higher proportion than inmates, and a much higher percentage of students said they were concerned about schoolwork. IDEAS FOR ACTION •

Student internships and other forms of community-based learning should be promoted and funded.

•

Organize large secondary schools into neighborhood units where students and teachers can relate more effectively.

•

Create programs and curricula that children, adolescents and their families see as relevant and receptive to them.

•

Develop interdisciplinary curricula.

•

Encourage education/business partnerships.

•

Summer internships for teachers in work settings should be encouraged and funded.

•

•

Implement public information campaigns to help children, adolescents, and their families understand the value of education and that young people cannot succeed without education.

Train current and future school teachers and administrators to involve parents in schools. School encouragement for parent involvement has been shown to improve attendance, attitudes, behavior, and achievement in all ethnic and socioeconomic settings.

18

Finding 10: Working Long Hours Was More Common Among Inmates in Adolescence Chart 10: Worked Long Hours Inmates and Students

27%


20%


9%
 4%


Male
Inmates


Female
Inmates


Male
Students


Female
Students


About a quarter of inmates reported working more than twenty hours per week, a point at which school grades drop off significantly, according to a 1992 study of Minnesota education. Among students, only nine percent of males and four percent of females reported working more than twenty hours. IDEAS FOR ACTION •

Educate the business community, school personnel, youth workers, parents, and youths themselves that working more than twenty hours a week can harm their school work and involvement in social activities with friends and families.

19

Finding 11: Frequent Shoplifting, Fighting, Vandalism More Common Among Inmates in Adolescence Chart 11: Shoplifting/Fighting/Vandalism Inmates and Students 78%
77%


81%
 73%


72%
 67%


64%


58%


82%
 74%


57%
 42%


25%
 17%


Shoplifted


32%


30%


15%


Damaged
or
Destroyed
 Property


13%


Hit
or
Beat
Up
Others


Male
Inmates


Female
Inmates


Male
Institutionalized
Juveniles*


Female
Institutionalized
Juveniles*


Male
Students


Female
Students


*For the adolescent samples, time period included past 12 months only, for the inmates the question covered the entire adolescence

Inmates and institutionalized juveniles reported they shoplifted, damaged property and fought with others in substantially higher percentages than students. IDEAS FOR ACTION •

Use victim-offender mediation and restitution and family group counseling at the first signs of these behaviors. These restorative approaches communicate that these behaviors are wrong and have serious consequences. They foster the taking of responsibility without further harming children and adolescents. In addition, these programs involve parents and cost much less than court involvement. Satisfaction with mediation on the parts of victims and offender is much higher than satisfaction with traditional sanctions.

•

For some youth, swift, sure consequences are effective in diverting them from criminal behavior. We need to evaluate punishmentoriented programs and mediation/restitution programs to see which programs are effective for which types of youth under what conditions.

20

For some questions on the inmate survey there are no comparative data on the other groups. These data are useful, however, for developing a profile of Minnesota prison inmates. Some of the experiences shown below may potentially be additional risk factors in the lives of inmates. Finding 12: Out of Home Placements During Childhood and Adolescence Common Among Inmates Chart 12: One or More Out of Home Placements Inmates by Race 75%


45%


44%


44%
 36%


White


African
American


Hispanic


Native
American


Asian


A large percentage of inmates reported that, as adolescents, they had been placed with a foster family, children’s shelter, group residence or other out-of-home facility. IDEAS FOR ACTION •

Provide early and more effective interventions when families show signs of being unable to care for their children.

•

Increase availability of support services for children and families where abuse and neglect have occurred.

•

When families are not able to care for their children make sure there are well-trained and committed foster parents prepared to handle these children, many of whom are challenging to care for. • Increase training and opportunities for respite for foster parents to give incentive and skills to care for high-risk children.

21

Finding 13: Dropping out of School and Frequently Switching Schools Common for Inmates During Adolescence Chart 13: Dropped Out of School/Switched Schools Inmates by Gender

48%
 38%
 34%
 28%


Did
Not
Finish
High
School


Three
or
More
School
Changes


Male
Inmates


Female
Inmates


About a third of male inmates reported they had dropped out of school or switched schools three or more times. For females, the dropout rate was significantly higher. IDEAS FOR ACTION •

Examine more carefully individual reasons for students’ frequently switching schools. Focus interventions as appropriate, including the option of remaining in the same school when their families move.

•

Explore as a long-range solution how affordable housing, job opportunities, and family support affect students’ switching of schools; switching schools appears to be related to poverty and lack of economic opportunities for parents.

•

Ensure adequate support exists for children in families that move frequently.

•

Increase transition mechanisms such as student-run and teacher-supervised orientation sessions for new students, services/support to help students catch up on their schoolwork, and develop peer buddy/guide systems for new students and their families.

•

Expand and evaluate truancy reduction programs and begin them in elementary schools.

•

Sponsor research to identify reasons for frequent switching of schools.

22

LIMITATIONS All social science research has limitations and this study is no exception. Our work has four limitations. First, relying on inmates’ memories of their adolescence raises concerns about the ability of inmates to recall their adolescent experiences.

Since we don’t know which students might later become inmates, we are assuming that all public school youth have “good” outcomes.

Approximately 1700 inmates responded to the survey, representing 42% of the total population of inmates. White inmates and older inmates were more likely to respond to the survey than would be expected given their percentages in the total inmate population. The respondents may differ on other unknown characteristics. Finally, the public school comparison group may contain some adolescents who later become inmates.

The findings support our hypothesis that groups with similar outcomes have similar adolescent experiences. With respect to which inmates chose to respond, it is reasonable to assume that the inmates with the most risks were the least cooperative. If this is true, the contrast between inmates and others would be even more dramatic than the findings illustrate.

The choice of two of the comparison groups, namely the incarcerated juveniles and the Minnesota adults, Second, the inmates who were adolescents during the was intended to address concerns about the ability of 1970’s and early 1980’s (over half of the inmates inmates to recall their adolescence. Since inmates were 30 years of age or older) were compared to adolescent experiences differed from the experiences students age 13-18 in 1987. This difference in time of Minnesota adults, but were similar to the periods could account for some of the differences experiences of the incarcerated juveniles we have between the two groups. The third limitation is that more confidence in the inmates’ ability to recall their not all inmates responded to the survey. adolescence.

23



 
 Further
Reading
 
 These
articles
give
an
idea
of
how
my
thinking
has
changed
since
I
worked
on
the
survey
of
prison
 inmates
sixteen
years
ago.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(in
press).
Reflections
on
25
years
of
research
on
violence.
Reflections:
Narratives
of
 Professional
Helping.

 
 Gilgun,
Jane,
F.
(2009).
A
process
model
of
interpersonal
violence.
Scribd.com/professorjane.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
Accountability
for
sexual
violence
scales.
Scribd.com/professorjane.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
Chills,
thrills,
power,
and
control:
The
phenomenology
of
family
violence.
 Scribd.com/professorjane.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
Detecting
the
potential
for
violence.
Scribd.com/professorjane
and
 Amazon
Kindle.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
Family
incest
treatment.
Scribd.com/professorjane.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
Family
incest
treatment
and
professional
treatment
for
abusers.
Amazon
 Kindle.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
Guilt
by
association:
Does
one‐armed
Jack’s
race
have
anything
to
do
 with
it?
Scribd.com/professorjane.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
It
takes
a
village
to
stop
a
father
from
beating
toddlers.
 Scribd.com/professorjane.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
Preventing
the
development
of
sexually
abusive
behaviors.
 Scribd.com/professorjane
and
Amazon
Kindle.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
Two
boys:
A
friend
is
someone
who
knows
your
secrets….and
keeps
 them.
Scribd.com/professorjane.
Available
on
Amazon
Kindle
as
Salamander:
A
story
of
two
boys.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
Two
boys:
Similar
backgrounds,
different
outcomes.
Why?
 Scribd.com/professorjane.

 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
What
child
sexual
abuse
means
to
abusers.
Amazon
Kindle
and
 pdfcoke.com/professorjane.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
What
child
sexual
abuse
means
to
child
survivors.
Amazon
Kindle
and
 pdfcoke.com/professorjane.
 
 
 24

Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
Shame,
blame,
and
child
sexual
abuse:
From
harsh
realities
to
hope.
 Amazon
Kindle,
pdfcoke.com/professorjane,
and
stores.lulu.com/jgilgun.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2009).
Stories
of
crime:
Violence
isn’t
what
you
think
it
is.
 Scribd.com/professorjane.
 
 Gilgun,
Jane.
F.
(2009).
Children
with
conduct
issues:
Part
1:
A
case
of
a
girl
whose
behavior
got
 worse.
Scribd.com/professorjane.
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.,
&
Alankaar
Sharma
(2008).
Child
sexual
abuse.
In
Jeffrey
L.
Edleson
&
Claire
M.
 Renzetti
(Eds.)
Encyclopedia
of
Interpersonal
Violence
(pp.
122‐125).
Thousand
Oaks,
CA:
Sage.

 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2006).
Children
and
adolescents
with
problematic
sexual
behaviors:
 Lessons
from
research
on
resilience.

In
Robert
Longo
&
Dave
Prescott
(Eds.),
Current
perspectives
on
 working
with
sexually
aggressive
youth
and
youth
with
sexual
behavior
problems
(pp.
383‐394).

 Holyoke,
MA:
Neari
Press.

 
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2008).
Lived
experience,
reflexivity,
and
research
on
perpetrators
of
interpersonal
 violence.
Qualitative
Social
Work,
7(2),
181‐197.

 
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.,
&
Laura
S.
Abrams
(2005).

Gendered
adaptations,
resilience,
and
the
perpetration
 of
violence.

In
Michael
Ungar
(Ed.),
Handbook
for
working
with
children
and
Youth:
Pathways
to
 resilience
across
cultures
and
context
(pp.

57‐70).

Toronto:
University
of
Toronto
Press
(invited
and
peer
 blind
reviewed)

 
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.,
Danette
Jones,
&
Kay
Rice.

(2005).
Emotional
expressiveness
as
an
indicator
of
 progress
in
treatment.
In
Martin
C.
Calder
(Ed.),


Emerging
approaches
to
work
with
children
and
young
 people
who
sexually
abuse
(pp.
231‐244).

Dorset,
England:
Russell
House.
 
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2005).
Evidence‐based
practice,
descriptive
research,
and
the
resilience‐schema‐ gender‐brain
(RSGB)
assessment.
British
Journal
of
Social
Work.
35
(6),
843‐862.
(invited
and
peer
blind
 reviewed)
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2005).
The
four
cornerstones
of
evidence‐based
practice
in
social
work.
Research
on
Social
 Work
Practice,
15(1),
52‐61.
 
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2004).
A
strengths‐based
approach
to
child
and
family
assessment.
In
Don
R.
 Catheral
(Ed.),
Handbook
of
stress,
trauma
and
the
family
(pp.
307‐324).
New
York:
Bruner‐Routledge.
 (invited
and
peer
blind
reviewed)

 
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2004).
Deductive
qualitative
analysis
and
family
theory‐building.
In
Vern
 Bengston,
Peggye
Dillworth
Anderson,
Katherine
Allen,
Alan
Acock,
&
David
Klein
(Eds.).
Sourcebook
of
 Family
Theory
and
Methods
(pp.
83­84)
Thousand
Oaks,
CA:
Sage.

 
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2002).
Social
work
and
the
assessment
of
the
potential
for
violence.
In
Tan
Ngoh
 Tiong
&
Imelda
Dodds
(Eds.),
Social
work
around
the
world
II
(pp.
58‐74).
Berne,
Switzerland:
 International
Federation
of
Social
Workers.
 
 25


 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
Christian
Klein,
&
Kay
Pranis.
(2000).
The
significance
of
resources
in
models
of
 risk,
Journal
of
Interpersonal
Violence,
14,
627‐646.
This
article
is
based
on
the
inmate
survey.
 
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.,
&
Laura
McLeod
(1999).
Gendering
violence.
Studies
in
Symbolic
Interactionism,
22,
 167‐193.
 
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(1996).
Human
development
and
adversity
in
ecological
perspective,

 Part
2:
Three
patterns.
Families
in
Society,
77,
459‐576.
Lead
article.
 
 
 Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(1996).
Human
development
and
adversity
in
ecological
perspective:
 Part
1:
A
conceptual
framework.
Families
in
Society,
77,
395‐402.
Lead
article
 


26