Table 5

Participant attitudes before and after course (N = 37)

Participant attitude statementsBefore course
Mean (SD)
After course
Mean (SD)
p-value
The purpose of prison in society is to punish people for the crimes that they commit2.63 (1.29)2.22 (1.28)0.01
The purpose of prison in society is to help rehabilitate people4.44 (0.69)4.50 (0.90)0.18
Most people in prison are there mostly because of their own poor choices and personal failures3.32 (0.99)3.03 (1.04)0.01
Most people in prison are there mostly because of disadvantages or hardships they have experienced in their lives3.65 1.03)3.58 (0.93)0.51
Living conditions in prison should be uncomfortable so that people will think twice about committing a crime when they are in the community2.02 (0.83)1.63 (0.86)0.00
Black or Hispanic people are generally treated less fairly than White people in the American criminal justice system3.11 (0.93)3.46 (1.18)0.01
There are racial tensions at the prison system where I work between staff and residents2.27 (0.98)2.25 (1.19)0.97
There is racial discrimination at the prison system where I work between staff and residents2.27 (1.04)2.00 (1.1)0.07
Building positive relationships between incarcerated people and staff is important for running a safe prison4.84 (0.37)4.84 (0.69)0.45
Correctional officers should be responsible for getting to know prisoners as people4.57 (0.72)4.75 (0.44)0.01

Note(s):

Scale: 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neither agree nor disagree, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree

Source(s): Table by authors

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