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Social Climate of the Prison: Relating Initial Resident Perceptions to Subsequent Institutional Adjustment

NCJ Number
108626
Journal
Journal of Offender Counseling Services and Rehabilitation Volume: 12 Issue: 1 Dated: (Fall/Winter) Pages: 73-90
Author(s)
W C Smith; T G Ivester
Date Published
1987
Length
18 pages
Annotation
The relationship between the perceived social climate of a correctional institution, as measured by the Correctional Institutions Environment Scale, and institutional adjustment, as assessed by disciplinary infractions, was evaluated in 83 newly received inmates at a North Carolina youth facility.
Abstract
Results indicate that, in general, residents perceived the staff-resident relationships to be involved and positive, and felt that much effort was placed by the facility on vocational training and preparation for eventual release and community adjustment. Residents also felt they had input into correctional planning and programming efforts. Scores on (1) personal problem orientation and (2) system maintenance were within the normative range, but indicated that residents felt less positive about their autonomy and about staff use of controls. Both adjusters and maladjusters showed overall positive perceptions of the social climate, although maladjusters showed a nonsignificantly more negative attitude toward system maintenance variables (order, staff control, clarity, and organization). 16 references.