PRISONER MILITANCY AND POLITICIZATION - THE OHIO PRISONERS' UNION MOVEMENT (FROM CORRECTIONS AND PUNISHMENT, 1977, BY DAVID F GREENBERG - SEE NCJ-46507)

• NCJ Number: 46516
• Author(s): C R HUFF
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 18 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A GENERAL HISTORY OF THE PRISONERS' UNION MOVEMENT IS PRESENTED, AND AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF THE OHIO PRISONERS' LABOR UNION (OPLU) IS DISCUSSED.

Abstract

THE OPLU WAS STUDIED FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, WITH DATA BEING GATHERED FROM OBSERVATION AND IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH KEY STAFF OF THE UNION AND WITH INMATES AND EX-CONVICT LEADERS FROM AROUND THE STATE. THIS INFORMATION WAS SUPPLEMENTED BY DATA COLLECTED ON 535 RANDOMLY CHOSEN OPLU RANK-AND-FILE MEMBERS AND 13 KEY INMATE LEADERS. IT WAS FOUND THAT, WHILE THE ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS OF THE OPLU FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE WORK ASPECTS OF PRISON LIFE, THE PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES OF THE ORGANIZATION HAD TO DO WITH THE RIGHTS AND TREATMENT OF THE INMATES. IT APPROXIMATED A CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION MODEL, RATHER THAN A LABOR UNION MODEL. A STUDY OF THE OPLU MEMBERSHIP INDICATED IT WAS FAIRLY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GENERAL INMATE POPULATION. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEMISE OF THE OPLU ARE CONSIDERED TO BE FEAR OF REPRISALS FROM THE PRISON STAFF AND LACK OF MEDIA AND CITIZEN SUPPORT. PRISONER UNIONS ARE VIEWED AS AN APPROPRIATE BARGAINING MODEL FOR INSTITUTIONALIZING CONFLICT BETWEEN INMATES AND PRISON OFFICIALS. TABLES OF DATA GATHERED AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)