Table 2 Distribution of items – Attitudes toward security prisoners
From: Attitudes of nurses, paramedics, and medics towards security prisoners: a cross-sectional study
|  | 1 (%) | 2 (%) | 3 (%) | 4 (%) | 5 (%) | Mean ± Standard deviation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
* Security prisoners are different from most people | 4.9 | 16.9 | 14.1 | 22.3 | 13.3 | 3.31 ± 1.21 |
Only a few security prisoners are really dangerous | 9.2 | 24.6 | 25.6 | 13.6 | 2.8 | 2.68 ± 1.02 |
* Security prisoners never change | 2.8 | 13.6 | 19.9 | 24.6 | 9.2 | 3.33 ± 1.05 |
Most security prisoners are victims of circumstance and deserve to be helped | 6.9 | 21 | 24.8 | 13.8 | 4.6 | 2.83 ± 1.05 |
Security prisoners have feelings like the rest of us | 14.1 | 20.5 | 17.6 | 15.6 | 1.8 | 2.57 ± 1.12 |
* It is not wise to trust a security prisoner too far | 20.2 | 35.8 | 7.4 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 2.07 ± 1.02 |
I think I would like a lot of security prisoners | 2 | 10.2 | 13.8 | 29.4 | 14.1 | 3.62 ± 1.05 |
Bad prison conditions just make a security prisoner more bitter | 27.6 | 25.3 | 14.6 | 3.6 | 0.3 | 1.92 ± 0.9 |
* Give a security prisoner an inch and he’ll take a mile | 2.8 | 17.9 | 19.2 | 16.6 | 14.3 | 3.3 ± 1.16 |
* Most security prisoners are stupid | 11.3 | 19.7 | 20.2 | 15.6 | 4.6 | 2.75 ± 1.15 |
Security prisoners need affection and praise just like anybody else | 28.6 | 35 | 5.1 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.73 ± 0.74 |
* You should not expect too much from a security prisoner | 6.1 | 29.2 | 12.8 | 13.6 | 9.7 | 2.88 ± 1.21 |
* Trying to rehabilitate security prisoners is a waste of time and money | 10.2 | 28.1 | 16.9 | 13.6 | 2 | 2.56 ± 1.04 |
* You never know when a security prisoner is telling the truth | 9.7 | 14.1 | 15.6 | 20.2 | 11 | 3.12 ± 1.28 |
Security prisoners are no better or worse than other people | 1.5 | 9.7 | 19.4 | 29.7 | 11 | 3.54 ± 0.98 |
* You have to be constantly on your guard with security prisoners | 3.8 | 17.6 | 12 | 25.8 | 11.3 | 3.32 ± 1.17 |
In general, security prisoners think and act alike | 1.3 | 9 | 11.5 | 33.8 | 15.9 | 3.75 ± 0.99 |
If you give a security prisoner respect, he’ll give you the same | 6.6 | 25.8 | 19.4 | 15.9 | 3.3 | 2.76 ± 1.04 |
* Security prisoners only think about themselves | 7.7 | 33 | 18.9 | 8.4 | 3.1 | 2.52 ± 0.98 |
There are some security prisoners I would trust with my life | 5.9 | 34.8 | 18.4 | 7.9 | 3.6 | 2.55 ± 0.97 |
Security prisoners will listen to reason | 28.9 | 23.5 | 14.6 | 3.6 | 0.3 | 1.9 ± 0.91 |
* Most security prisoners are too lazy to earn an honest living | 3.8 | 28.6 | 22.3 | 12.3 | 3.3 | 2.75 ± 0.96 |
* Security prisoners are just plain mean at heart | 2.3 | 4.6 | 17.4 | 33 | 12.8 | 3.7 ± 0.95 |
* Security prisoners are always trying to get something out of somebody | 5.9 | 9.5 | 13.6 | 31.2 | 10.5 | 3.43 ± 1.14 |
The values of most security prisoners are about the same as the rest of us | 5.6 | 25.8 | 23 | 12.3 | 3.1 | 2.73 ± 0.98 |
Most security prisoners have the capacity for love | 15.1 | 25.8 | 14.1 | 12 | 3.3 | 2.46 ± 1.14 |
* Security prisoners are just plain immoral | 8.4 | 39.6 | 15.1 | 5.4 | 1.8 | 2.32 ± 0.87 |
* Security prisoners should be under strict, harsh discipline | 6.9 | 18.2 | 17.1 | 23.8 | 4.1 | 3 ± 1.1 |
* In general, security prisoners are basically bad people | 16.1 | 29.9 | 13.8 | 7.9 | 2.3 | 2.29 ± 1.04 |
Most security prisoners can be rehabilitated | 8.4 | 32.5 | 17.6 | 6.9 | 4.9 | 2.53 ± 1.05 |
Some security prisoners are pretty nice people | 8.7 | 19.9 | 24 | 14.6 | 3.1 | 2.76 ± 1.05 |
I would like associating with some security prisoners | 4.1 | 8.7 | 21.5 | 29.4 | 6.4 | 3.36 ± 1 |
* Security prisoners respect only brute force | 0.3 | 4.1 | 8.2 | 22.3 | 35.5 | 4.26 ± 0.9 |
If a security prisoner does well in prison, he should be let out on parole | 7.2 | 34.3 | 17.1 | 6.6 | 4.9 | 2.54 ± 1.03 |
* I would prefer to avoid treating a security prisoner if I had the choice | 0.5 | 3.8 | 15.1 | 25.3 | 24.8 | 4 ± 0.92 |
I feel comfortable treating security prisoners just like any other population | 12.3 | 21.5 | 10 | 15.6 | 10.7 | 2.87 ± 1.35 |