An examination of the relationship between locus of control and the amount of time on parole.

Abstract

External locus of control has been identified as a personality variable that is problematic to successful completion of parole. To examine the relationship between locus of control and length of time on parole, two groups of volunteer parolees were used in this study. The participants were currently on parole in the Northern Parole Region of Kansas. Participants were divided according to how long they had been on parole determined according to whether the offender had been recently released, one to two months on parole, or had been on parole for five months or more. Fifty men (25 one to two months and 25 five months or more) whose mean age was 32.7 were given the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. Analysis of variance results showed neither group significantly differed from the other with regard to locus of control. Both groups scored toward the internal end of the locus of control continuum.