NCJ Number
47075
Date Published
1976
Length
154 pages
Annotation
PROFILES OF THE VOLUNTEER AND THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR ARE PRESENTED, ALONG WITH A STUDY OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF VOLUNTEERS, AND THE SATISFACTION VOLUNTEERS DERIVE FROM THEIR WORK.
Abstract
THIS IS A DESCRIPTIVE-ANALYTICAL STUDY BASED ON DATA COLLECTED THROUGH PERSONAL INTERVIEWS AND PUBLISHED REPORTS AND DOCUMENTS ON THE PROGRAMS EXAMINED. THE DESCRIPTIVE ELEMENTS INCLUDE PROFILES OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AND ORGANIZATION SPONSORING THE PROGRAM. ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE DATA WERE COLLECTED THROUGH INTERVIEWS, SOME USE WAS MADE OF REPORTS AND OTHER RELEVANT MATERIAL PROVIDED BY ORGANIZATIONS SPONSORING THE PROGRAMS. THE PROFILE OF THE VOLUNTEER IS DEVELOPED BY CONSIDERING SUCH PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AS AGE, FAMILY STATUS, EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, EMPLOYMENT STATUS, EXPERIENCE IN VOLUNTEER WORK, AND PREVIOUS CONTACT WITH THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM. A PROFILE OF THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR IS CONSTRUCTED BY USING PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AGE, STATUS, EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, EMPLOYMENT STATUS, PREVIOUS VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE, MEMBERSHIP IN COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AND LENGTH OF SERVICE AS A VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR. INFORMATION COLLECTED ON ORGANIZATIONS SPONSORING THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS INCLUDES POLICY REGARDING MEMBERSHIP, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, AND TRAINING OF VOLUNTEERS. THE RANGE OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY VOLUNTEERS AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS RELATED TO THE PROVISION OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES IS DETERMINED BY AN ANALYSIS OF SUCH FACTORS AS TASKS UNDERTAKEN BY THE VOLUNTEERS IN THE INSTITUTION, INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP ORIENTATION OF VOLUNTEER'S WORK, TRAINING AND ORIENTATION SESSIONS, NATURE AND FREQUENCY OF CONTACT WITH INSTITUTION STAFF, DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED BY VOLUNTEERS IN ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS WITH INMATES, PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF VOLUNTEERS TOWARDS THEIR WORK IN THE INSTITUTION AND TOWARDS INMATES AND CORRECTIONAL STAFF, VOLUNTEER'S PERCEPTION OF THE PURPOSE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM, AND THE VOLUNTEER'S PERSONAL SATISFACTION WITH THE WORK. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OFFERED IN THE AREAS OF VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT, VOLUNTEER'S USE OF SKILLS, SUPERVISION AND EVALUATION OF VOLUNTEERS, SUGGESTED PROGRAM CHANGES, REIMBURSEMENT, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH. APPENDIXES CONTAIN A SAMPLE OF THE LETTER REQUESTING AN INTERVIEW, INTERVIEW SCHEDULES OF VOLUNTEERS AND VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS, THE ATTITUDE SCALE EMPLOYED, AND AN EXPLANATION OF THE LOSSES IN STUDY POPULATION. (RCB)