CHANGING OF THE GUARD - CITIZEN SOLDIERS IN WISCONSIN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS

• NCJ Number: 49290
• Author(s): B ROSS
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 64 pages
• Grant Number(s): 77-06-20-S-3017-6
• Sponsoring Agency: Wisconsin Council on Criminal Justice
• Corporate Author: League of Women Voters of Wisconsin
• Sale Source: League of Women Voters of Wisconsin
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

WISCONSIN NATIONAL GUARDSMEN WHO REPLACED STRIKING CORRECTIONS PERSONNEL DURING A STATEWIDE STRIKE IN 1977 AND OTHER GROUPS AFFECTED BY THE JOB ACTION WERE SURVEYED.

Abstract

THIS STUDY WAS LIMITED TO WISCONSIN'S TWO MAXIMUM AND THREE MINIMUM SECURITY CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS: THE WISCONSIN STATE PRISON AT WAUPON, THE STATE REFORMATORY AT GREEN BAY, AND THE FOX LAKE, KETTLE MORAINE, AND TAYCHEEDAH CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. AT THE TIME OF THE STRIKE, THE RESIDENT POPULATIONS OF THESE INSTITUTIONS TOTALED 2,777, ABOUT 1,000 BELOW THEIR RATED CAPACITY. THE SERVICES, RULES, AND INMATE COMPOSITIONS VARIED AMONG THE FACILITIES, AS DID THE AMOUNT AND TYPE OF CONTACT BETWEEN NATIONAL GUARDSMEN AND PRISONERS DURING THE 16-DAY STRIKE. THE STUDY REPORTED THE PERCEPTIONS, OBSERVATIONS, AND REACTIONS OF FOUR GROUPS OF PEOPLE MOST AFFECTED BY THE STRIKE: CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS; NATIONAL GUARDSMEN; RESIDENTS OF THE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS; AND SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL. AN ADVISORY GROUP, COMPOSED OF MEMBERS OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AND TECHNICAL ADVISORS FROM EACH OF THE FOUR GROUPS, PLANNED AND REVIEWED EACH STEP OF THE SURVEY PROCESS. IN ORDER TO DEVELOP THE SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES, TRAINED PERSONNEL INTERVIEWED MEMBERS OF EACH GROUP TO DETERMINE AREAS OF CONCERN. THIS INFORMATION WAS THEN USED TO DEVELOP A FINAL SET OF QUESTIONNAIRES. BOTH THE FINAL QUESTIONNAIRES AND A PERCENTAGE BREAKDOWN OF THE REPLIES ARE APPENDED. THE SURVEY REVEALED A VARIETY OF DIVERGENT ATTITUDES. IT WAS FOUND THAT OVER 75 PERCENT OF THE NATIONAL GUARDSMEN AND SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL AGREED THAT THE RESIDENTS HELPED THE GUARD DURING THE STRIKE, AND 79 PERCENT OF THE RESIDENTS REPORTED MORALE TO BE HIGHER DURING THE STRIKE THAN BEFORE. A MAJORITY OF THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS REPORTED THAT THEIR MORALE WAS LOWER AFTER THE STRIKE THAN BEFORE. A MAJORITY OF ALL FOUR GROUPS BELIEVED THAT RESIDENTS SHOULD BE GIVEN MORE RESPONSIBILITY. NINETY-SEVEN PERCENT OF BOTH STAFF GROUPS BELIEVED THAT A MORE UNIFORM INTERPRETATION OF THE RULES IS NEEDED, WHILE A MAJORITY OF BOTH THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AND THE RESIDENTS DID NOT AGREE THAT THE INSTITUTIONS ARE WELL PLANNED FOR REHABILITATION. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. INFORMATION ON SURVEY METHODOLOGY IS ALSO APPENDED. GIVEN MORE RESPONSIBILITY AND A MAJORITY OF THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS REPORTED THAT THEIR MORALE WAS LOWER AFTER THE STRIKE THAN BEFORE. NINETY-SEVEN PERCENT OF BOTH STAFF GROUPS SAID THAT A MORE UNIFORM INTERPRETATION OF THE RULES IS NEEDED, WHILE A MAJORITY OF BOTH THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AND THE RESIDENTS DID NOT AGREE THAT THE INSTITUTIONS ARE AS WELL PLANNED FOR REHABILITATION. TABULAR DATA ARE APPENDED AND INTERSPERSED THROUGHOUT THE TEXT. INFORMATION ON SURVEY METHODOLOGY IS ALSO APPENDED. (KBL)