a) Questionnaire en anglais

Introduction

I am carrying out this questionnaire as part of my research for a PhD in contemporary British penal policy. I am interested to know about the social attitudes of people in prison.

Please read the following consent form before continuing:

Consent Form

I hereby consent to participate as a subject in a research project entitled "Evaluating the social attitudes of convicted prisoners” .

I understand that I will complete a brief questionnaire relating to my attitudes regarding work, welfare, family and the criminal justice system.

I understand that my participation is completely voluntary , and that I am free to withdraw from the study at any time I choose, without incurring any penalty whatsoever.

I understand that this questionnaire is completely anonymous . My answers will not be passed on to the prison authorities unless what I say suggests a threat of harm to myself or others or makes reference to a breach of security or an unconvicted crime.

I understand that the results of this research may be published in a PhD thesis, but that my name will not be associated in any way with any published results.

Name:

Signature:

Should you need to get in touch with the research organiser, please contact Edward Nealon of HMP Lewes/ Linsey Arnold, Deputy Head of Offender Management, CWESP, Kent Female Estate.

Please put this completed form into the blank envelope provided, stick it down and return it along with the completed questionnaire. This will ensure your anonymity.

Part I

1) State your age band:

16-20 ( ) 21-25 ( ) 26-30 ( ) 31-40 ( ) 41-50 ( ) over 50 ( )

2) What is your marital status?

Married ( ) Single ( ) Living with Partner ( )

Separated ( ) Divorced ( ) Widowed ( )

3) If you have a partner, how long have you been together?

0-6 months ( ) 7-12 months ( ) 1-2 years ( ) 3-5 years ( )

6-10 years ( ) 10 years or more ( )

4) How many children do you have?

0 ( ) 1 ( ) 2 ( ) 3 ( ) 4 or more ( )

5) Do they all have the same mother/father?

Yes ( ) No ( )

6) Before you came to prison, were you living with the children’s mother/father or the mother/father of one of your children?

Yes ( ) No ( )

7) Were you raised by one or both parents?

One ( ) Both ( ) Neither ( )

8) Immediately before being sent to prison were you any of the following?

Employed ( ) Unemployed ( ) Self-employed ( )

Looking After Home/Family ( ) Sick/Disabled ( ) Retired ( )

9) If employed, what was the full title of your main job?

10) What level of education did you have before entering prison?

No academic qualifications ( )

1 – 4 G.C.S.E.s/C.S.E.s/’O’-Levels/School Certificate ( )

5 or more G.C.S.E.s/C.S.E.s/’O’-Levels ( )

1 or more ‘A’-levels/AS-Levels/ Higher School Certificate ( )

NVQ Level 1/ Foundation GNVQ ( )

NVQ Level 2/ Intermediate GNVQ ( )

NVQ Level 3/ Advanced GNVQ ( )

NVQ Levels 4-5/ HNC/HND ( )

Other qualifications (e.g. City and Guilds/ RSA, BTEC…) ( )

First degree or higher ( )

( )

11) How long is your prison sentence?

Less than one month ( ) 1 - 3 months ( ) 4 - 6 months ( ) 7 months – 1 year ( ) 1 – 2 years ( ) 3 – 5 years ( )

Over 5 years ( )

12) Is this your first time in prison?

Yes ( ) No ( )

13) Have any members of your family ever been to prison?

Yes ( ) No ( )

Part II

Please read the following statements and circle the answer which best describes your opinion about each: I strongly disagree, I disagree, I cannot decide, I agree, I strongly agree

1) Both parents ought to bring up their child/children together.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

2) Prison is the best way of deterring petty crime.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

3) People who want to have children should get married.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

4) Children don’t necessarily need a father to teach them the difference between right and wrong.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

5) I considered the risk of imprisonment before committing my crime.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

6) There is no shame involved in receiving state benefits.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

7) Having any job is better than having no job at all.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

8) Sending petty offenders to prison will not deter crime.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

9) Current levels of benefits discourage people from looking for work.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

10) A child without a father is more likely to ‘run wild’ than a child who grows up with his/her father.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

11) It is better to be unemployed than to do a job you don’t like.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

12) Community penalties can be just as tough as a prison sentence.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

13) Every citizen has a duty to find a job to support himself and his family.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

14) Receiving benefits is a right of citizenship: people shouldn’t be forced to work.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

15) Living off state benefits damages self-respect.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

16) Single parent families do just as good a job of raising children as dual-parent families.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

17) Low wages discourage people from entering the world of work.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

18) I committed my crime on the spur of the moment without thinking about the possible consequences.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

19) Community penalties are a ‘soft option’.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

20) It is not necessary to be married to have children.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Cannot Decide Agree Strongly Agree

Thank you very much for having taken the time to complete this questionnaire.