NCJ Number
172072
Journal
American Jails Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: (September-October 1997) Pages: 63-64,66-70
Date Published
1997
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Interviews of deputy sheriffs and correctional officers gathered information on the differences in the institutional work orientations and experiences of deputy sheriffs assigned to jail duty for short periods of time and career line jail officers.
Abstract
The 60 participants worked in four county jails in a large western State. In two jurisdictions, the deputies received 17 weeks of police academy training and initially worked in the county jail for 24-36 months before being eligible for transfer to road patrol. In the other two jurisdictions, the sheriff's departments used correctional officers for jail duties and required completion of a 30-day training program and the State correctional academy. The interviews were structured and lasted approximately 45 minutes. Findings revealed some sharp but not totally unexpected contrasts in the work orientations of deputy sheriffs and career correctional officers. The differential selection, training, and work socialization experiences of deputies and correctional officers all contributed to the variations in their attitudes and perceptions. The crucial issue is less the existence of these differences than the consequences of these differences for jail operations. Notes and 11 references