Personal space of incarcerated offenders

Abstract

Administered the proxemic test (Kinzel, 1970) and a psychometric test battery to 49 incarcerated offenders on two occasions. Offenders also were rated by staff on their interpersonal behavior, and a 3‐year follow‐up was undertaken to assess recidivism. Immediate test‐retest reliabilities were extremely high in all four directions (0.93 to 0.97), but lower over a 10‐week period (0.65 to 0.89). The Behind distance was largest on both occasions. There were no changes in the four distance measures over time. An algebraic for mula was devised to calculate Personal Space Area. Age was related inversely to offender's Personal Space (r = −0.32, p < 0.03). Personality measures, observation ratings, and follow‐up outcome data were related in consistently to Personal Space Area, although there was some indication that offenders with a large personal space were less empathic, less socialized, less accepting of others, received poor evaluations, and were more likely to recidivate. The utility of personal space in the assessment of offenders is discussed.

Interpersonal Distance in the SARS-CoV-2 Crisis

“…Until now, proxemic research has focused on how IPD changes as an immediate response to nonverbal cues ( Vagnoni et al, 2018 ; Welsch, von Castell, Hecht, 2020 ). Social isolation ( Gifford & Sacilotto, 1993 ; Worchel, 1986 ; Wormith, 1984 ) and loneliness ( Layden et al, 2018 ) have both been shown to increase IPD preferences. Likewise, responses to signs of disease, disgust, and other stigmata are correlated with larger IPD in social interactions ( Earnshaw & Quinn, 2013 ; Kleck et al, 1968 ; Neumann et al, 2004 ; Toppenberg et al, 2015 ).…”

The DSM Diagnostic Criteria for Pedophilia

“…It is well established that self-report alone cannot be used to diagnose pedophilia in offenders against children (see, e.g., Kingston, Firestone, Moulden, & Bradford, 2007;Marshall, 1997;O'Donohue & Letourneau, 1993;O'Donohue et al, 2000;Wormith, 1983). Men whose histories of sexual offending against children are so extensive that they cannot plausibly be explained by anything besides pedophilia may nonetheless deny that they have a sexual preference for children or else claim that they had ''a problem'' in the past but that their sexual feelings for children have now disappeared.…”

Child Maltreatment and Adjustment to Juvenile Correctional Institutions

“…It is possible that the apparent differences in the change in depression for juveniles in boot camps and traditional facilities is due to the fact that juveniles in boot camp facilities had been confined for a shorter period of time on average during the first wave of data collection. Research suggests that adult inmates experience higher levels of stress during their initial period of confinement and learn to cope with their new environment after the passage of time in the institution (MacKenzie & Goodstein, 1985;Wormith, 1984;Zamble & Porporino, 1988). To examine this confinement issue, separate regression analyses were conducted using a restricted sample of youth (n = 294) from both facility types.…”