NCJ Number
55233
Date Published
1977
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THE INFERIOR POSITION OF BELGIAN PRISON GUARDS WITHIN THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM AND POSSIBILITIES OF IMPROVING THEIR TRAINING ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
IN GENERAL, GUARDS ARE UNDERPAID, NOT ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN FORMULATION OF POLICIES, AND NOT GIVEN CREDIT FOR THEIR EFFORTS; TRAINING HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN DENIED GUARDS FOR FEAR THAT THEY MIGHT SEEK BETTER EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE. THIS SITUATION AND THE RECENT PRISON STRIKES OF GUARDS RESULT FROM GOVERNMENT PENITENTIARY POLICIES WHICH SHOULD BE DISCUSSED OPENLY IN CABINET MEETINGS AND STAFF CONFERENCES. INFORMATION FOR PREPARING A TRAINING PROGRAM MUST BE GATHERED FROM LITERATURE AND FROM THE STUDY OF ORGANIZATIONAL MICROUNITS, THAT IS FROM INTERVIEWS WITH A NUMBER OF GUARDS. THE HOSTILITY EXHIBITED DURING PRISON STRIKES IS EXPLAINED AS AN UNCONSCIOUS MANIFESTATION OF GUARDS' FRUSTRATIONS, WHICH MUST BE REMEDIED. THE MODEL PROPOSED ENCOMPASSES ACTIVE TEACHING ON STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS AND AN INTEGRATED VIEW OF THE PENAL SYSTEM REQUIRING BASIC TRAINING FOR PERSONNEL RECRUITS IN ALL SPECIALTIES FOLLOWED BY MORE SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO PROMOTE CAREER ADVANCEMENT, EVEN TO OTHER RELATED FIELDS. TWO RESEARCH DIRECTIONS IN PARTICULAR CONTRIBUTE TO A CURRENT MOVEMENT AWAY FROM ADVOCACY OF PRISONER REHABILITATION: ON ONE HAND, EVALUATIVE RESEARCH HOLDS THAT NONE OF THE REHABILITATIVE EFFORTS WORK, WHILE ON THE OTHER HAND RADICAL CRIMINOLOGY IDEALISTICALLY ENCOURAGES JUSTICE AND EQUAL TREATMENT FOR PRISONERS AND RENEWED INTEREST IN ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS TO MAKE PRISON EMPLOYMENT WORTHWHILE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT: (1) THE PROBLEM OF PRISON GUARDS CAN BE RESOLVED WITHIN THE EXISTING PENITENTIARY FRAMEWORK IF THE WILL TO CHANGE, PLANNING, AND EVALUATION ARE PRESENT; (2) WIDESPREAD CRIME NECESSITATES EDUCATION OF PRISON GUARDS TO ALLEVIATE THEIR ALIENATION; AND (3) ADMINISTRATIVE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PRACTICES DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY NECESSARY FOR TEAMWORK. REFERENCES ARE SUPPLIED. -- IN FRENCH.