NCJ Number
126550
Journal
Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume: 64 Issue: 3 Dated: (1973) Pages: 313-319
Date Published
1973
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the reasons for the steady increase from 1958 in the number of parolees returned to prison for technical violations in the California correctional system.
Abstract
It disputes the official explanation that the characteristics of the inmate-parolees population have changed over the years and instead claims that the increase is a result of the application of Taylor's scientific management approach to the administration of the parole agency. In Taylor's approach, supervisors evaluate subordinates on the basis of minimum standards for work performances of routinized tasks. However to fulfill these administrative requirements, the corrections officer may act contrary to the needs of the offender. Sources of problems arising between administration and supervision include the practice of holding the worker responsible for an offender's behavior, compliance with the requests of law enforcement agencies, conflicts in objectives of parole supervision, and prediction of client behavior and supervision outcomes. Thus, the corrections officer chooses the safe route of returning the parolees to prison on technical violations rather than to undergo administrative review to allow the parolee a continuance of freedom. In the imposed administrative structure, the parole officer becomes diverted from serving the client to concern with the administration of the organizations' regulations. 8 notes and 7 references