LESBIANISM IN FEMALE AND COED CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS

• NCJ Number: 56099
• Journal: JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (SPRING 1978) Pages: 265-274
• Author(s): A M PROPPER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 10 pages
• Grant Number(s): N172-010-G; 73N1-99-0001G; W70-5148
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)

Annotation

RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE IMPORTATION AND DEPRIVATION HYPOTHESES IN DETERMINING VARIATIONS IN INSTITUTIONAL HOMOSEXUALITY AMONG FEMALES.

Abstract

ONE OF THE MAJOR THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES USED TO EXPLAIN THE PRESUMED VARIATION IN RATES OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS THAT IT REFLECTS VARYING INTENSITIES OF ACTUAL AND PERCEIVED DEPRIVATIONS IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF PRISONS. A SECOND THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE FOCUSES ON THE ROLE OF PREVIOUS SOCIALIZATION AND SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS AS HAVING AN IMPORTANT INFLUENCE ON VARIATIONS IN INSTITUTIONAL HOMOSEXUALITY. THE PRESENT STUDY TESTS THESE THEORIES, WHILE ESTIMATING THE PRESENCE OF HOMOSEXUALITY AMONG YOUNG WOMEN IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. DATA WERE COLLECTED BY MEANS OF SELF-REPORTS ON QUESTIONNAIRES ADMINISTERED TO 93 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL FEMALE YOUTH POPULATION (496 RESPONDENTS) OF A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF FOUR FEMALE AND THREE COEDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES. THE FEMALE POPULATIONS RANGED FROM 37 TO 138 RESIDENTS, AGED 13 TO 17 YEARS. IN ADDITION TO ASKING RESPONDENTS ABOUT TYPES OF HOMOSEXUAL EXPERIENCES, RESPONDENTS ALSO ANSWERED NUMEROUS OTHER QUESTIONS, INCLUDING SOME ABOUT ACTUAL AND PERCEIVED DEPRIVATIONS OF IMPRISONMENT (FROM WHICH MEASURES OF 13 VARIABLES REPRESENTING THE DEPRIVATION PERSPECTIVE WERE CONSTRUCTED), AND ABOUT PREPRISON CHARACTERISTICS (FROM WHICH MEASURES OF 15 VARIABLES REPRESENTING THE IMPORTATION PERSPECTIVE WERE CONSTRUCTED). RATES OF HOMOSEXUALITY WERE FOUND TO BE AS HIGH IN COED AS IN SINGLE-SEXED INSTITUTIONS. THE OVERALL RATES OF HOMOSEXUALITY FOR ALL SEVEN INSTITUTIONS WERE 14 PERCENT FOR 'GOING WITH OR BEING MARRIED' TO ANOTHER YOUNG WOMAN, 10 PERCENT FOR PASSIONATELY KISSING, 10 PERCENT FOR WRITING LOVE LETTERS, AND 7 PERCENT FOR HAVING SEX, BEYOND HUGGING AND KISSING, WITH ANOTHER GIRL. THE DATA SUGGEST THAT PREVIOUS HOMOSEXUALITY, OFTEN EXPERIENCED IN OTHER CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS, EXPLAINS MUCH OF THE VARIANCE IN INSTITUTIONAL HOMOSEXUALITY. THE DEPRIVATION THEORY FOR EXPLAINING HOMOSEXUALITY WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE DATA. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)