NCJ Number
68775
Date Published
1978
Length
319 pages
Annotation
IN THE CONTEXT OF A SWISS PRISON REFORM PROJECT, THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WAUWILERMOOS CORRECTIONAL FACILITY ARE DESCRIBED AND THE SUCCESS OF THE INSTITUTION'S CORRECTIONAL GOALS IS ASSESSED.
Abstract
INFORMATION DERIVES FROM LONG-TERM OBSERVATION BY THE RESEARCHER AND FROM INTERVIEWS WITH 16 STAFF MEMBERS AND 44 INMATES. TOPICS COVERED ARE THE DEVELOPMENT AND PLAN OF THE PHYSICAL PLANT, PERSONNEL AND INMATE CHARACTERISTICS, THE PRISON ADMINISTRATION, OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL CORRECTIONS GOALS, ACTUAL PRISON OPERATION AND SERVICES, PERSONNEL ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR, AND INMATE REACTIONS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE ONLY GOALS PURSUED AT THE PRISON ARE REHABILITATIVE LABOR AND DISCIPLINE; THE RE-SOCIALIZATION AND COUNSELING EFFORTS REQUIRED BY LAW ARE NOT BEING EFFECTIVELY PURSUED. TREATMENT IS NOT POSSIBLE IN THIS STRICTLY ORDERED, NONTHERAPEUTIC ENVIRONMENT, EVEN THOUGH THE MAJORITY OF INMATES AND CORRECTIONAL STAFF FAVOR PSYCHOTHERAPY. DESPITE A RELATIVELY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP, GUARDS LOOK DOWN ON INMATES. WHILE GUARDS' AND INMATES' CLASS BACKGROUNDS MAY BE SIMILAR, THEY DO NOT FORM CLOSE BONDS BECAUSE CORRECTIONS' OFFICERS LACK THE TRAINING NECESSARY TO THINK BEYOND CLICHES. MOREOVER, GUARDS AND MANAGEMENT ARE ORGANIZATIONALLY SEPARATED, CAUSING GUARDS TO BE PASSIVE TOWARD MANAGEMENT AND RESERVED TOWARD PRISONERS. INMATES RECOGNIZE THE GUARDS' REGULATING FUNCTION BUT CANNOT COMPLETELY RESPECT THEM EVEN THOUGH RELATIONS ARE CORDIAL. FURTHERMORE, INMATES ARE EXPERIENCING PRISONIZATION SYMPTOMS AND GUARDS ARE NOT PREPARED BY BACKGROUND OR EDUCATION TO SERVE AS THERAPISTS. IN SHORT, CLOSE GUARD-INMATE CONTACTS AND CONSIDERATION FOR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS ARE REGARDED BY GUARDS AS DISTURBANCES OF THE PRISON ORDER. TABLES, NOTES, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND APPENDIXES CONTAINING QUESTION CATALOGS FOR STAFF AND INMATES ARE SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN.