NCJ Number
46515
Date Published
1977
Length
20 pages
Annotation
THE REFORM THAT OCCURRED IN MASSACHUSETTS YOUTH CORRECTIONS IN THE EARLY 1970'S IS SUMMARIZED, AND DATA ON THE STATE OF THE YOUTH CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM AND ITS POLITICAL RELATIONSHIPS IN 1976 IS CONSIDERED.
Abstract
IN THE MID-1960'S, A LIBERAL GROUP ATTACKED THE CONSERVATIVELY RUN YOUTH CORRECTIONS SYSTEM IN MASSACHUSETTS BY INVESTIGATING IT PUBLICLY, PROVOKING THE CONSERVATIVES TO RESPOND BY EMPLOYING THE EXTREME TACTIC OF DISMISSING THEIR CRITICS, THUS ALIENATING A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ELECTED OFFICIALS. THE LIBERALS WERE PERMITTED TO CONTINUE THEIR INVESTIGATION, SUBSEQUENTLY TOPPLING THE CONSERVATIVE CORRECTIONS REGIME. THE LIBERALS, ONCE IN POWER, EMPLOYED THE EXTREME TACTIC OF CLOSING THE TRAINING SCHOOLS ENTIRELY IN FAVOR OF A COMPLETE COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM. THIS THREATENED THE VESTED INTERESTS OF THE CONSERVATIVE COALITION, AND A NEW WAVE OF CONSERVATIVE COUNTERREFORM WAS LAUNCHED. USING DATA FROM 109 COMPUTER-ANALYZED INTERVIEWS AND A NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS USING EXCLUSIVELY OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS, THIS STUDY ASSESSES THE STATE OF AFFAIRS AS OF 1976. THE DATA INDICATE THAT THE LIBERALS BACKED OFF FROM REFORM PRIORITIES TO CONSOLIDATE THEIR GAINS, AND THE BALANCE OF POLITICAL ACTION FORCE SHIFTED IN A CONSERVATIVE DIRECTION; HOWEVER, THE TENDENCY TO SEE THE LEGISLATURE AS NEVERTHELESS EXTREMELY POWERFUL AND HAVING POLICY-ORIENTED PRIORITIES SUGGESTED AN ANOMALOUS SITUATION THAT, PROPERLY USED, MIGHT CONCEIVABLY PROVE HELPFUL TO THE LIBERALS. SOME OF THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ARE LISTED AND DATA FROM RESPONSES ARE ITEMIZED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)