ANALYSIS OF RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS IN STATE WOMEN'S CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES WITH SUGGESTED GUIDELINES FOR RECREATION SERVICES

• NCJ Number: 65241
• Author(s): L R WILLIAMS
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 235 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

THIS DISSERTATION DEVELOPED A SET OF RECREATION SERVICE GUIDELINES APPLICABLE TO STATE INSTITUTIONS FOR ADULT FEMALE OFFENDERS AND SURVEYED THE STATUS OF CORRECTIONAL RECREATION SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

Abstract

THE 43 RECREATION GUIDELINES DEVELOPED ON RECREATION PERSONNEL, PROGRAMING, AREAS, FACILITIES, AND FUNDING WERE RATED BY 20 JURORS RECOMMENDED BY NATIONAL CORRECTIONAL-RECREATION ASSOCIATIONS. THE 23 GUIDELINES (OR 54 PERCENT) RATED AS BEING ESSENTIAL TO RECREATION SERVICES WERE COMBINED WITH THE REST (WHICH WERE SIMPLY CONSIDERED VALID) AND INCORPORATED INTO THE FINAL SET OF RECREATION SERVICE GUIDELINES. THE INVESTIGATION THEN SOUGHT TO DISCOVER CURRENT USE OF RECREATION SERVICES BY SENDING A QUESTIONNAIRE TO 33 STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS WHICH HOUSE WOMEN SEPARATELY, REQUESTING DATA ON RECREATION PERSONNEL, PROGRAMING, FACILITIES, FISCAL MATTERS, ETC. THE MAJORITY OF THE PRISONS (84 PERCENT) OFFERED ORGANIZED RECREATION SERVICES. REASONS FOR NOT OFFERING ORGANIZED RECREATION PROGRAMS WERE LACK OF QUALIFIED STAFF, BUDGET LIMITATIONS, AND INADEQUATE FACILITIES. WHEN THE SUGGESTED GUIDELINES WERE COMPARED TO THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY, INADEQUACIES WERE EVIDENT IN THE DELIVERY OF RECREATION SERVICES WITHIN ALL THE PRISONS. THE RESULTS ALSO SHOWED THAT (1) SMALLER PRISONS OFFERED FEWER ORGANIZED PROGRAMS DUE TO LACK OF PERSONNEL, ADEQUATE FUNDING, AND FACILITIES; (2) PRISON OFFICIALS PLACED SIGNIFICANT VALUE ON RECREATION PROGRAMING; (3) UTILIZATION OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES WAS VERY LIMITED; (4) A MAJORITY OF THE PRISONS OFFERED AN ORGANIZED RECREATION PROGRAM; AND (5) PHYSICAL EDUCATION TRAINING BACKGROUNDS DOMINATED THE MAJORITY OF THE INSTITUTIONS' RECREATION STAFF. ANOTHER PROBLEM WAS THE AVAILABILITY OF INDOOR AND OUTDOOR RECREATION AREAS AND FACILITIES. OVERALL, PRISON RECREATION SERVICES, ALTHOUGH LACKING IN SEVERAL ASPECTS WITHIN EACH INSTITUTION, TENDED TO APPROXIMATE THE GUIDELINES ACCEPTED BY THE RATING PANEL. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED, AND APPENDIXES INCLUDE VARIOUS CORRECTIONAL STANDARDS FOR RECREATION AND NUMEROUS STUDY INSTRUMENTS. (MHP)