OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS BASIC CORRECTIONAL OFFICER TRAINING AN ASSESSMENT

• NCJ Number: 68395
• Author(s): D BALDWIN; S CARELLA; H CLARK; K MYERS
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 125 pages
• Grant Number(s): BF-5
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Corrections
• Corporate Author: Oklahoma Dept of Corrections
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN EVALUATION OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM CONDUCTED BY THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TRAINING ACADEMY FOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS IS PRESENTED.

Abstract

THE PURPOSES OF THE ASSESSMENT WERE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICER AND SUPERVISORY STAFF PERCEIVE TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICER POSITION, TO DETERMINE THE CONGRUENCE BETWEEN THESE PERCEPTIONS AND THE TRAINING OFFERED, TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND TO DEVELOP A MONITORING SYSTEM FOR FOLLOWUP OF TRAINEES' PERFORMANCE. PROJECT EVALUATION INVOLVED FIELD INTERVIEWS WITH OKLAHOMA CORRECTIONS PERSONNEL, DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF A SURVEY INSTRUMENT DESIGNED TO ASSESS STAFF TRAINING NEEDS, REVIEW OF TRAINING PROGRAMS OF TWO OTHER TRAINING ACADEMIES, AND OBSERVATION OF TRAINING CLASSES. AS INDICATED BY SURVEY INSTRUMENT RESPONSES, PERSONNEL AT COMMUNITY TREATMENT CENTERS FELT THAT THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICER WAS MORE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN TREATMENT AND LESS INVOLVED IN STRICTLY CUSTODIAL FUNCTIONS. DATA GATHERED FROM THE PARTICIPANT OBSERVER REVEALED THREE WEAKNESSES WHICH OCCURRED DURING TRAINING CLASSES; OVERUTILIZATION OF VIDEOTAPES, LACK OF STUDENT PARTICIPATION, AND DISPROPORTIONATE TIME ALLOCATIONS. THE HIRING OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS SHOULD BE CENTRALIZED, AND ALL NEWLY HIRED PERSONNEL SHOULD BE ASSIGNED TO THE TRAINING UNIT PRIOR TO ASSIGNMENT. THE TRAINING ACADEMY SHOULD ALSO UPGRADE ITS GRAPHICS, VIDEO, AND LIBRARY SERVICES, AND THE ACADEMY DIRECTOR SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FORMULATE SHORT- AND LONG-RANGE PLANS SO THAT FUTURE DEPARTMENT NEEDS WILL BE MET. FURTHER, PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE PROVIDED FOR TRAINEES IN SELF-DEFENSE CLASSES, PHYSICAL CONDITIONING SHOULD BE ALLOTTED A SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD EACH DAY, WEAPONS TRAINING SHOULD BE INCREASED TO 40 HOURS, FIELD PROCEDURES SHOULD BE EXPANDED FROM 19 TO 32 HOURS, AND CRIMINAL LAW CLASSES SHOULD BE PRESENTED IN A MORE LOGICAL ORDER. TABLES, FOOTNOTES, AND 15 REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. THE SURVEY QUESTIONAIRE, RESPONSE RANKINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND RELATED MATERIAL ARE APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)