NCJ Number
54773
Date Published
1977
Length
9 pages
Annotation
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRUSTY, HIS POSITION IN THE PRISON SOCIAL HIERARCHY, AND THE ROLE CONFLICT HE MAY EXPERIENCE IS EXAMINED IN THIS STUDY OF MISSISSIPPI PRISONERS.
Abstract
THE TRUSTY SYSTEM IS THE SUBJECT OF MUCH CONTROVERSY. THE SYSTEM, HOWEVER, HAS RECEIVED LITTLE EMPIRICAL ATTENTION. THIS STUDY SOUGHT TO TEST THREE HYPOTHESES: (1) THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE INMATES SELECTED FOR TRUSTY STATUS AND ANY OTHER INMATES; (2) INMATES MOVE TOWARD IDENTIFICATION WITH THE OFFICIAL SYSTEM AS THEY INCREASE THEIR POSITION IN THE FORMAL HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF THE INMATE SOCIAL SYSTEMS; AND (3) THOSE INMATES WHO OCCUPY ELITE TRUSTY POSITIONS TEND TO EXPERIENCE ROLE CONFLICT AND THEY SEEK TO RESOLVE THIS CONFLICT IN THE DIRECTION OF PERCEIVED STAFF APPROVAL. AN UNSPECIFIED NUMBER OF INMATES WERE THE SUBJECTS OF THIS STUDY. THE FINDINGS INDICATE THAT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TRUSTY INMATES AND OTHER INMATES DO NOT REACH SIGNIFICANT REJECTION LEVELS. IT WAS FOUND, HOWEVER, THAT TRUSTIES WERE GENERALLY OLDER, BETTER EDUCATED, MORE VOCATIONALLY STABLE, AND FIRST OFFENDERS. THEY DID NOT PERCEIVE THEMSELVES AS CRIMINALS AND WERE LESS COMMITTED TO A CRIMINAL WAY OF LIFE. OVER HALF OF THE TRUSTIES WERE SERVING LIFE SENTENCES RESULTING FROM CONVICTION FOR A VIOLENT OFFENSE STEMMING FROM AN INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT WITH WIFE OR RELATIVE; 44 PERCENT OF THE TRUSTIES WERE WIDOWERS. THE SECOND HYPOTHESIS WAS SUPPORTED BY THE DATA. WITH THE EMERGENCE OF THE TRUSTY ROLE, INMATES WERE PROVIDED WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THEIR DEPRIVATIONS. THE THIRD HYPOTHESIS WAS ALSO CONFIRMED. TRUSTIES TENDED TO EXPERIENCE ROLE CONFLICT. THIS CONFLICT TYPICALLY WAS RESOLVED IN THE DIRECTION OF PERCEIVED STAFF APPROVAL. THE TRUSTY SYSTEM, AS EVALUATED HERE, IS VIEWED AS A TYPE OF TREATMENT IN WHICH INMATES ARE CO-OPTED INTO ROLES NORMALLY OCCUPIED BY CIVILIAN PERSONNEL.