NCJ Number
53534
Date Published
1974
Length
182 pages
Annotation
SATISFACTION-DISSATISFACTION AMONG INMATES IN SOUTH CAROLINA CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS IS EXAMINED IN A STUDY OF 74 INMATES AT WATKINS PRERELEASE CENTER IN COLUMBIA, S.C.
Abstract
THE SUBJECTS COMPLETED AN INVENTORY DESIGNED TO MEASURE THEIR SATISFACTION-DISSATISFACTION IN 10 AREAS: FOOD, LEGAL HELP, MEDICAL SERVICES, PERSONAL PRIVACY, EDUCATION, MAIL, WORK, VISITATION, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, AND ADMINISTRATION. SATISFACTION SCORES WERE ANALYZED TO DETERMINE CORRELATIONS WITH AGE, LENGTH OF CONFINEMENT, AND INSTITUTION. OLDER INMATES WERE MORE SATISFIED WITH FOOD, OFFICERS, PRIVACY, MAIL, AND WORK THAN WERE YOUNGER INMATES. DISSATISFACTION WITH PERSONAL PRIVACY, VISITATION, OFFICERS, AND ADMINISTRATION WAS HIGHEST AMONG INMATES FROM HIGHER-SECURITY INSTITUTIONS. LONGER CONFINEMENT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH GREATER DISSATISFACTION WITH MEDICAL SERVICES. WHITE INMATES WERE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT PERSONAL PRIVACY THAN WERE BLACKS. RECIDIVISTS WERE MORE DISSATISFIED WITH VISITATION THAN WERE NONRECIDIVISTS. MOST WHITES THOUGHT THAT MOST CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WERE VERY GOOD, WHEREAS MOST BLACKS FELT THAT MOST OFFICERS WERE VERY BAD. A MAJORITY OF BLACK INMATES FELT THAT MOST CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS NEVER KEEP THEIR WORD. IN GENERAL, SOUTH CAROLINA INMATES WERE SATISFIED WITH MAIL AND EDUCATON AND DISSATISFIED WITH FOOD, MEDICAL SERVICES, AND PERSONAL PRIVACY. THE REPORT INCLUDES A LITERATURE REVIEW ON COLLECTIVE VIOLENCE IN PRISONS, DETAILS OF STUDY METHODS AND FINDINGS (INCLUDING AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INVENTORY'S RELIABILITY), A BIBLIOGRAPHY, SUPPORTING DATA, AND A COPY OF THE INVENTORY. (LKM)