CONSEQUENCES OF INCOMPATIBLE GOAL STRUCTURES IN CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS

• NCJ Number: 52393
• Journal: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND PENOLOGY Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1975) Pages: 27-42
• Author(s): C W THOMAS; E D POOLE
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 16 pages
• Grant Number(s): 73-NI-03-0002
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Academic Press Ltd
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: REVISION OF A PAPER PRESENTED TO THE PACIFIC SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, IN MARCH 1974

Annotation

FOLLOWING AN EXAMINATION OF REASONS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF CONFLICTING GOALS IN A MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON, THE EFFECT OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN CUSTODY AND REHABILITATION ON A SAMPLE OF INMATES IN SUCH A PRISON IS ASSESSED.

Abstract

MOST TOTAL INSTITUTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CHANGE THE VIEWS, BEHAVIOR, KNOWLEDGE, OR SKILL OF THOSE WHOSE LIVES THEY ADMINISTER AND TO MAINTAIN SOME DEGREE OF CONTROL OVER THOSE INVOLVED IN THE CHANGE PROCESS. THE CHANGE CONFLICT BETWEEN THESE TWO GOALS AS IT EXISTS IN UNIVERSITIES AND IN PRISONS IS DISCUSSED. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT IN UNIVERSITIES AND MOST OTHER SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS, CONTROL LESSENS AS CHANGE IS ACHIEVED AND AS PERSONS WITHIN THE INSTITUTION DESIRE THE CHANGE. IN THE CORRECTIONAL SETTING, THE BELIEF THAT ALL INMATES REQUIRE GUIDANCE, STRUCTURE, DIRECTION, AND CONTROL IS REFLECTED IN THE NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES OF INMATES HELD BY PERSONNEL AT ALL LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATION, EVEN AMONG THOSE WHOSE PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO TREAT AND REHABILITATE INMATES. THUS THE MORE NEGATIVE THE EVALUATION OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL PARTICIPANTS, THE HIGHER THE PRIORITY OF CONTROL. SOCIETY NEGATIVELY EVALUATES A PRISON WHEN IT FAILS TO ACHIEVE CONTROL GOALS AS REFLECTED BY ACTS OF VIOLENCE, RIOTS, OR ESCAPES. THE CONTINUED HIGH RATES OF RECIDIVISM MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR PRISON ADMINISTRATORS TO CLAIM SUCCESS IN ACHIEVING CHANGE GOALS. AS A RESULT, RESOURCES ARE CONCENTRATED ON CONTROL. THE EFFECT OF THE CONFLICT WAS EXAMINED IN A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 405 MALE INMATES IN A MAXIMUM SECURITY PENITENTIARY IN AN URBAN AREA IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. ATTITUDES QUESTIONNAIRES MEASURED INMATE FEELINGS TOWARDS THE INSTITUTION, FEELINGS TOWARD PRISON PROGRAMS, AND FEELINGS TOWARD OUTSIDE AGENCIES. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE GREATER THE RESENTMENT TOWARD THE PRISON ADMINISTRATION AND THE PRISON CONTROL STRUCTURE, THE GREATER THE ALIENATION TOWARD PRISON PROGRAMS AND TOWARD CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES AS A WHOLE. A HIGH DEGREE OF PRISONIZATION ALSO WAS ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANT DEGREES OF SELF-IDENTIFICATION AS A CRIMINAL. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT SUCH SELF-IMAGE MAY EFFECT POSTRELEASE LIFE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE STRUCTURE OF PRISONS SIMILAR TO THE ONE STUDIED CREATES HOSTILITY, WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES THE ABILITY TO ACHIEVE EITHER CONTROL OR CHANGE GOALS. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED.