NCJ Number
60862
Date Published
1979
Length
88 pages
Annotation
SEVERAL SUBSTANTIVE AND THEORETICAL ISSUES IN CORRECTIONS ARE EXAMINED IN THIS BOOK WHICH REPORTS THE RESULTS OF 7 MONTHS OF PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION IN THE PLEASANTON, CALIF., FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION.
Abstract
DATA WERE COLLECTED THROUGH INMATE OBSERVATION, ATTENDANCE AT INMATE AND STAFF MEETINGS, INFORMAL INTERVIEWS OF THE APPROXIMATELY 250 INMATES AND 143 STAFF MEMBERS, FORMAL INTERVIEWS WITH THE STAFF, USE OF INFORMANTS, AND INMATE QUESTIONNAIRES. SINCE THE DEPRIVATION OF HETEROSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS IS THE SOURCE OF MANY PROBLEMS IN ONE-SEX INSTITUTIONS, THIS STUDY EXAMINES PATTERNS OF SEXUAL ADJUSTMENT IN THIS COED PRISON WHICH PROHIBITED SEXUAL CONTACT. THERE WAS A GREAT MORE INTERMINGLING OF ETHNIC, ECONOMIC, AND SEXUAL GROUPS THAN IS EVIDENT IN LARGER, ONE-SEX PRISONS. ANY ATTEMPT TO DESCRIBE THE EXTENT OF HOMOSEXUAL, HETEROSEXUAL, AND BISEXUAL INMATE RELATIONS IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS OF DEFINING SUCH BEHAVIOR AND THE FACT THAT SUCH BEHAVIOR IS VERY PRIVATE. IN ADDITION, THE STAFF IS GIVEN A GREAT DEAL OF DISCRETION IN ENFORCING RULES ON SEXUAL BEHAVIOR BETWEEN THE INMATES. IT APPEARS THAT IN THIS PRISON THERE IS LESS HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITY AMONG MEN AND THE SAME AMOUNT OF HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITY AMONG WOMEN AS COMPARED TO THAT IN ONE-SEX PRISONS. THE BEHAVIOR OF THE INMATES IS MARKED BY A LACK OF ASSAULTIVE BEHAVIOR. WHILE IT WAS ANTICIPATED THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN STAFF AND INMATES, THE INMATES STILL FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE STAFF. THERE ARE SEVERAL RESEARCH PROBLEMS WHICH MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CONCLUDE WHETHER OR NOT COED PRISONS ARE EFFECTIVE IN CREATING MORE HUMANE PRISON CONDITIONS AND REDUCING RECIDIVISM. A HISTORY OF COED PRISONS IN THE U.S. AND A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON PREVIOUS COCORRECTIONS RESEARCH IS INCLUDED. STATISTICAL TABLES, DIAGRAMS, AND A BIBLIOGRAHY ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)