NCJ Number
70444
Date Published
1977
Length
316 pages
Annotation
Patterns of a city's interorganizational relationships between a system of corrections agencies and the informal network of community services available to them are investigated.
Abstract
The study aimed to identify the community resource networks most frequently used by the correctional organizations, the extent of competition among the organizations for use of the community resources, and the factors indicative of cooperative and uncooperative organizational relations with service agencies. The study design consisted of an ex post facto field investigation. Intensive interviews were conducted with a nonrandom sample of three staff workers in each of the seven correctional organizations in one city. Sociometric questions were asked in order to identify the interorganizational field of the most frequently used resources. Respondents were asked to identify the two agencies considered least and most cooperative and elements which facilitated or hindered cooperation. In addition, from 8 community service organizations 20 respondents were interviewed for additional data. Analysis revealed that there was a high degree of consensus among the seven correctional organizations concerning the most cooperative agencies. Interagency cooperation within the correctional set was found to be rather limited in scope and content. Open conflict was found to exist among three of the four public correctional organizations who mutually chose each other as the least cooperative members of the correctional group. The highest demand community service organizations were the two public assistance agencies. Development of personal relationships and display of professional courtesy were cited as elements essential to interorganizational cooperation. Rigid organizational structure was seen as a major barrier to cooperation with community service organizations. Footnotes, tables, appendixes, diagrams, and a bibliography of ca. 100 entries are included in the study.