NCJ Number
67638
Date Published
1978
Length
29 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT EVALUATES REACTIONS OF INMATES AND STAFF IN THE VIRGINIA CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM IN ORDER TO COMPARE THE INSTITUTION AT MECKLENBURG WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
Abstract
A QUESTIONNAIRE SERVED TO REFLECT THE REACTIONS OF 17 INMATES WHO WERE FIRST INCARCERATED AT MECKLENBURG FROM 6 TO 8 MONTHS AND LATER ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER LOCATION. A SECOND QUESTIONAIRE WAS USED TO COLLECT CORRECTIONAL STAFF RESPONSES CONCERNING THE INMATES CURRENT ADJUSTMENT IN THEIR PRESENT INSTITUTIONS. OF THE SEVEN PHYSICAL CONDITIONS, ONLY LIGHTING AND PRIVACY WERE CONSIDERED SUPERIOR AT MECKLENBURG ACCORDING TO THE INMATES. A LARGE MAJORITY OF INMATES PREFERRED PROGRAMS, PRIVILEGES AND FREEDOM, AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AT PRESENT INSTITUTIONS, WHILE INDICATING THAT ALTHOUGH DISCIPLINE WAS STRICTER AT MECKLENBURG, IT WAS NOT MORE OR LESS FAIR THAN AT OTHER LOCATIONS. THEY INDICATED THAT CONTACT WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND OTHER INMATES WAS GREATER AT THEIR PRESENT INSTITUTIONS, WHILE CONTACT WITH STAFF AND GUARDS WAS ENCOURAGED LESS AT MECKLENBURG. ALTHOUGH MOST FELT SAFER AND MORE SECURE AT MECKLENBURG, A LARGE MAJORITY PREFERRED TO FINISH THEIR SENTENCES AT THEIR PRESENT LOCALE. ACCORDING TO THE STAFF QUESTIONNAIRE, AFTER AN AVERAGE STAY OF 8.2 MONTHS IN THEIR PRESENT INSTITUTIONS, 65 PERCENT OF THE INMATES HAD NO DISCIPLINARY REPORTS ON THEIR RECORD. ALL INMATES PARTICIPATED IN AT LEAST 1 PROGRAM, WHILE 88 PERCENT PARTICIPATED IN 2 OR MORE. OVER HALF THE INMATES WERE RATED BETTER ADJUSTED THAN MOST OTHERS OUTSIDE THIS STUDY, WHILE THE REMAINDER OF SAMPLE INMATES WERE RATED NO WORSE THAN MOST OTHERS. THE REPORT NOTED THAT MECKLENBURG IS A NEW FACILITY, AND INMATE RESPONSES WERE BIASED BECAUSE MECKLENBURG WAS A SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT FOR THEM TO ESTABLISH INSTITUTIONAL PROCEDURES AND THEY WERE PLACED UNDER RESTRICTIONS FOR STUDY, AND NOT FOR DISCIPLINARY PURPOSES. SECONDLY, THE INMATES ANSWERED THE QUESTIONNAIRE AT THEIR PRESENT INSTITUTIONS. TABLES ARE INCLUDED.