ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AS A DETERMINANT OF PRISONIZATION - AN ANALYSIS OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF ALIENATION

• NCJ Number: 14976
• Author(s): C W THOMAS; M T ZINGRAFF
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 27 pages
• Grant Number(s): 73-NI-03-0002
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN INMATES' FEELINGS OF POWERLESSNESS IN SOCIETY AND THE PRISON, POSTPRISON EXPECTATIONS, AND THE INTENSIFICATION OF HOSTILITY TOWARD THE DOMINANT SOCIAL STRUCTURE WHILE IN PRISON.

Abstract

APPROPRIATE DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM 78.5 PERCENT OF BOYS IN A STATE JUVENILE INSTITUTION. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT BOTH A GENERAL FEELING OF POWERLESSNESS AND SENSE OF POWERLESSNESS IN THE PRISON SETTING ARE DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEGREE OF HOSTILITY TOWARD THE DOMINANT SOCIAL STRUCTURE. THE PARAMETERS OF THE STUDY DID NOT ENABLE A DETERMINATION OF THE FORM OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE POWERLESSNESS VARIABLES. IT IS BELIEVED THAT WHILE A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN POSTPRISON EXPECTATIONS AND AN INCREASE OF HOSTILITY TOWARD SOCIETY WHILE IN PRISON DOES EXIST, MUCH OF THAT ASSOCIATION IS ACCOUNTED FOR WHEN ALIENATION IS HELD CONSTANT.