title: Perceptions of the Previously Convicted: The Influence of Conviction Type and Therapy Participation.
abstract: The present study explores individuals' desires for social distance from violent versus non-violent offenders and investigates whether disclosure of the offender's therapy completion influences this desire for distance. The study also investigates relationships between participants' desires for social distance and their perceptions of therapy effectiveness with offenders. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, 150 undergraduate participants completed measures of social distance and perceived offender therapy effectiveness. Overall, respondents indicated higher desires for social distance from offenders convicted of violent versus non-violent crimes. Respondents also reported lower desire for social distance when the offenders reported completing therapy, even when their perception of therapy effectiveness was low. The results of this study have implications for treatment development. Results attest to the value of preparing incarcerated offenders with an accurate expectation of levels and patterns of stigma to be faced upon release and also speak to the value of disclosing treatment completion, especially in the context of healthy interpersonal relationship development and maintenance.
authors.affiliation: John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY, USA EEdwards@jjay.cuny.edu.
authors.forename: Emily Rachel
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mottarella
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D057237:Criminals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012929:Psychological Distance; D057545:Social Stigma; D014754:Violence; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: offender; reintegration; social distance; therapy; treatment; violence