NCJ Number
46086
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1978) Pages: 6-22
Date Published
1978
Length
17 pages
Annotation
THE INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOCAL TASKS, STATUS, EFFORT REQUIRED, AND REWARDS IS EXAMINED FOR WORK PROGRAMS IN PRISONS IN BOTH ENGLAND AND AMERICA; THE PROBLEMS OF WORK PROGRAMS ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
IN BOTH ENGLAND AND THE UNITED STATES THE WORK PROGRAM IS SEEN AS A REHABILITATION EFFORT DESIGNED TO 'PREPARE THE PRISONER FOR THE OUTSIDE WORKING WORLD.' IF THIS WERE TRULY THE FOCAL TASK OF THE PRISON, THE CURRENT SITUATION -- CROWDED WORK AREAS, POORLY MAINTAINED EQUIPMENT, INADEQUATE SUPERVISION, NONEXISTANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENT -- WOULD NOT BE TOLERATED. THE FACT IS THAT BOTH COUNTRIES SEE PRISONS PRIMARILY AS A PLACE OF PUNISHMENT AND THE PRISON WORK PROGRAM IS GENERALLY A WAY TO KEEP INMATES BUSY WHILE SAVING THE TAXPAYER SOME MONEY. GENERALLY THE WAGE RATES ARE SO LOW, THE TASKS SO REPETITIVE, AND THE GOALS SO POORLY DEFINED THAT WORK PROGRAMS GENERATE A SERIES OF NEGATIVE VALUES. THE ADMINISTRATION MAY CONSIDER KITCHEN DUTY A LOW-STATUS JOB AND ASSIGN IT AS PUNISHMENT WHILE THE PRISONERS MAY TREASURE SUCH A JOB BECAUSE IT AFFORDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO STEAL FOOD, UTENSILS WHICH CAN BE FASHIONED INTO WEAPONS, AND PERSONAL SUPPLIES. THE HIGH-STATUS JOBS SUCH AS MAIL CLERK OR ASSISTANT IN THE WARDEN'S OFFICE ARE USUALLY HELD BY LONG-TERM PRISONERS WHO HAVE LEARNED TO MANIPULATE THEIR POSITIONS FOR STATUS AMONG FELLOW INMATES. THE TRULY INTELLIGENT PRISONERS WORK ON WAYS TO 'BEAT THE SYSTEM' BECAUSE THE TASKS ARE SO DULL THERE IS NO CHALLENGE OTHERWISE. ENERGY EFFORT IS SELDOM EXPENDED BECAUSE PUNISHMENTS AND REWARDS ARE MEANINGLESS. AMERICAN PRISONS HAVE INSTITUTED VARIOUS 'WORKTIME' AND 'MERITORIOUS GOOD TIME' PROGRAMS WHICH ATTEMPT TO EQUATE GOOD JOB PERFORMANCE WITH EARLIER RELEASE FROM PRISON. YET THE POTENTIAL MOTIVATING EFFECT OF SUCH REWARDS IS UNDERMINED BY TWO SERIOUS DRAWBACKS: NOT ALL PRISONERS PERCEIVE THEM AS 'REAL' AND MANY TIMES POOR NONJOB PERFORMANCE AS A PRISONER CARRIES MORE WEIGHT THAN GOOD JOB PERFORMANCE. THE 'TROUBLEMAKER' STANDS VERY LITTLE CHANCE OF EARNING EARLY RELEASE, NO MATTER HOW GOOD HIS JOB PERFORMANCE. BOTH INMATES AND ADMINISTRATORS KNOW THIS. PRISONERS HAVE NO RIGHT TO STRIKE, LITTLE CHANCE TO EARN HIGHER WAGES, NO JOB ADVANCEMENT IN REAL TERMS. ON THE OTHER HAND, ADMINISTRATORS CANNOT FIRE, DEMOTE, OR PASS OUT MEANINGFUL PROMOTIONS. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE REALIZATION OF THE DESIRE TO MAKE PRISON WORK AS 'NEARLY COMPARABLE AS POSSIBLE WITH WORK OUTSIDE' SEEMS FAR OFF. (GLR)