Alison Shinkfield

Variables Affecting Successful Reintegration as Perceived by Offenders and Professionals

Abstract Six broad domains were identified as influencing reintegration of ex-offenders including personal conditions, social network/environment, accommodation, criminal justice system, rehabilitation and counselling support, and employment and training support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 offenders and 22 professionals from criminal justice, accommodation, employment support, and rehabilitation program sectors. Participants were asked to identify variables within each domain that affect success or failure of offenders in making a positive life transition. Identified variables included a readiness to change, achieving stable housing and obtaining employment, avoiding illegal activity and complying with mandatory reporting, remaining free of dependency, and addressing basic education and training needs.

Characteristics of gait in stepping over obstacles

Abstract Human gait is precisely and continuously adapted in order to negotiate obstacles safely and without excessive modulations to lower limb trajectories. To investigate obstacle clearance, unimpaired healthy adult subjects (6 male and 6 female) were videotaped stepping over an obstacle adjusted to 10%, 25%, and 40% of leg length. Lead foot clearance was relatively uninfluenced by obstacle height whereas trail clearance increased systematically. As height increased the lead foot crossed earlier in the normalised stride but crossing distance remained at about 80% of normalised stride length. Trail foot clearance increased with height while crossing time was unchanged. Discussion of these findings focussed on a motor control process in which information from the visually-guided lead foot might be used to control trail foot trajectory.

The Perceived Employability of Ex-Prisoners and Offenders

A large-scale study was conducted to examine the perceived employability of ex-prisoners and offenders. Four participant groups comprising 596 (50.4%) employers, 234 (19.8%) employment service workers, 176 (14.9%) corrections workers, and 175 (14.8%) prisoners and offenders completed a questionnaire assessing the likelihood of a hypothetical job seekers both obtaining and maintaining employment; the importance of specific skills and characteristics to employability; and the likelihood that ex-prisoners, offenders, and the general workforce exhibit these skills and characteristics. Apart from people with an intellectual or psychiatric disability, those with a criminal background were rated as being less likely than other disadvantaged groups to obtain and maintain employment. In addition, ex-prisoners were rated as being less likely than offenders and the general workforce to exhibit the skills and characteristics relevant to employability. Implications for the preparation and support of ex-prisoners and offenders into employment are discussed, together with broader community-wide initiatives to promote reintegration.

Community Reintegration of Ex-Prisoners Type and Degree of Change in Variables Influencing Successful Reintegration

Community reintegration of ex-prisoners is an important issue in efforts to reduce recidivism. The present study examined the multiple, complex, and dynamic nature of variables influencing successful reintegration by assessing the type and degree of change in reintegration variables over time. Participants were 79 adult prisoners (54 male, 25 female) who completed a prerelease questionnaire 1 month before their release, which focused on prison-related variables, participant background, and anticipated conditions upon release. A postrelease questionnaire was administered to the same participants at 1-4 weeks and 3-4 months postrelease, focusing on the quality of life conditions experienced following release. Results indicate that current health ratings and several indicators of drug use were significantly different over the three measurement phases. Ratings of employment and housing stability, finance, and social support were unchanged over the postrelease period. Theoretical implications of the present investigation for reintegration theory are discussed, together with practical applications.

Gait characteristics in individuals with mental retardation: Unobstructed level-walking, negotiating obstacles, and stair climbing

Abstract This experiment identified intelligence-related gait characteristics in unobstructed level-walking and when negotiating obstacles and stairs. Sixteen subjects with mental retardation (WAIS-R Full-Scale IQ range 50–73, Mean=60.3) were age and gender matched with 9 female and 7 male nonretarded subjects. Unobstructed level-walking for the subjects with mental retardation was characterised by higher cadence and, for females, shorter strides than the nonretarded controls. In stepping over and across obstacles, the subjects with mental retardation crossed the obstacle earlier in their stride and stepped over obstacles with greater clearance. The females with mental retardation crossed the obstacle very early in the lead-foot stride and correspondingly late for the trail foot. In stair ascent, the relative duration of the step cycle phases were reliably different for the individuals with mental retardation. Since information-processing explanations for the data were not entirely adequate, it is suggested that deficiencies in the visual discrimination of moving displays by individuals with mental retardation might account for these findings. PsycINFO classification : 2221; 2300; 2330; 3256

The Relationship Between Emotional State and Success in Community Reintegration for Ex-Prisoners

This study examines the role of emotional state in the reintegration of ex-prisoners. Participants were 101 adult prisoners (72 male, 29 female) who completed a questionnaire 1 month prior to their release and at two postrelease points focusing, first, on prison-related experiences and, second, on the quality of life conditions experienced following release. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory were also completed at each interview. Results indicate that mean BDI-II scores were significantly higher at prerelease than postrelease, while mean anxiety scores were unchanged over the period under investigation. There are significant relationships between numerous reintegration variables and emotional state following release. At each postrelease point, lower depression and anxiety among participants were related to higher age and improved psychological health. Higher depression and anxiety were related to participation in a postrelease program. Theoretical implications for reintegration theory are discussed, together with practical applications.

The Effect of Organisational Context Variables on Employer Attitudes Toward Employability of Ex-Offenders:

The authors tested the premise that organisational context variables (i.e., size of organisation, industry type, location, and respondent’s position in organisation) had significant effects on employer (N = 596) attitudes toward employability of ex-offenders. They also examined whether organisational context variables had an equivalent effect on employer attitudes to that of job-seeker criminal history and employer personal characteristics (e.g., respondent age and gender). Using linear regression (HLM 6.02a), organisational context variables were shown to have a significant effect on employer attitudes. In addition, organisational context variables had a significantly greater effect on employer attitudes than did employer personal characteristics. However, job-seeker criminal history contributed more to respondent ratings of ex-offender employability than did organisational context variables. The finding that judgements of employability are influenced by organisational context variables has implications for future research relevant to reintegration. Stakeholder attitudes toward the reintegration success of ex-offenders may be generally influenced by context variables.

Co-Morbidity of Conditions Among Prisoners

Eighty seven adult prisoners (58 males, 29 females) completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and a questionnaire on current health in order to examine both the prevalence of co-morbid conditions and the relation of depression and anxiety to ill-health and prior substance use. High prevalence rates of co-morbid conditions were detected among prisoners, with substance use history identified as the primary contributor to co-morbidity. In addition, better perceived mental health was associated with lower depression among prisoners, and a higher number of mental health conditions was associated with greater anxiety. Implications of co-morbid conditions of ill-health for the support of prisoners are discussed.

The Life Conditions of Australian Ex-Prisoners: An Analysis of Intrapersonal, Subsistence, and Support Conditions

Successful reintegration of ex-prisoners into the community is multifaceted. The life conditions of 36 adult Australian ex-prisoners (20 male and 16 female) were examined via a questionnaire administered at 1 to 4 weeks post release, and a subset of 19 of the original respondents were interviewed again at 3 to 4 months post release. Interviews focused on intrapersonal conditions (physical and psychological health and substance use), subsistence conditions (housing, employment, and finance), and support conditions (social support, support services/program participation, and criminal justice support). The majority of ex-prisoners self-reported chronic physical and mental health problems as well as a history of substance use and/or current substance use. Although the housing conditions of ex-prisoners were largely favourable and constant, the employment and financial conditions of this group were generally unfavourable. Level of social support was variable. Theoretical implications and practical applications of the present investigation for reintegration theory are discussed.

Intelligence and Motor Skill Acquisition by Discrimination Learning

This experiment investigated the relation between intelligence and acquisition of motor skill using predictions from Zeaman and Houses 1963 attention theory. 20 undergraduate students and 20 subjects of low IQ (WAIS—R Full Scale IQ range 50 to 73, M = 60) made linear positioning movements of long and short amplitude to the left and right of a central starting position. Four conditions (right-long, right-short, left-long, left-short) were created by specifying the corresponding target area on the positioning apparatus. One or both of the paired cues were varied, i.e., left, right, long, or short, while the dimensions of direction and amplitude remained unchanged across conditions. A shift from one condition to the next followed a criterion response of four consecutive movements to the target area. Results supported the hypothesis that subjects of low IQ would require more trials to criterion than subjects of normal IQ across all conditions of direction and extent. There was qualified support for the hypothesised interaction between intelligence and cue shifts. The practical implications and theoretical significance of these findings are discussed.