CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT

• NCJ Number: 67949
• Author(s): L F SHIELDS
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 67 pages
• Corporate Author: Contact, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. PAPER SUBMITTED FOR THE ACA COMMITTEE ON CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

Annotation

CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS, IN THE FORM OF VOLUNTEER WORKERS RECRUITED FROM ALL COMMUNITY SECTORS TO ASSIST IN THE SOCIAL REINTEGRATION OF EX-OFFENDERS, IS ADVOCATED.

Abstract

A PAPER BY A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS ON THE SUBJECT OF CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN CORRECTIONS WAS DISTRIBUTED TO DEPARTMENTS OF CORRECTIONS IN ALL 50 STATES, AS WELL AS TO GUAM, PUERTO RICO, CANADA, AND THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS. THE PURPOSE OF THE PAPER WAS TO SOLICIT REACTIONS AND RESPONSES ON THE USE OF CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS AND ON ALL THE OTHER ITEMS RELATING TO CITIZEN-CORRECTIONAL STAFFS COOPERATION. THE RESPONSES RECEIVED IN JANUARY 1980 FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENTS OF CORRECTIONS SURVEYED, ON SUCH TOPICS AS COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS, PUBLIC RELATIONS, MEDIA SUPPORT, CHANGING PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD OFFENDERS AND EX-OFFENDERS, AND THE USE OF INMATES AND EX-OFFENDERS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS CAPACITIES, ARE APPENDED IN TABULAR FORM. THE PAPER ARGUES FOR THE USE OF CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS IN CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS TO FILL A REAL NEED, ESPECIALLY IN CONNECTION WITH IMPROVING THE IMAGE OF CORRECTIONS AND EMPHASIZING ITS PURPOSE AS BEING THE SOCIAL REINTEGRATION OF OFFENDERS, NOT PUNISHMENT OR RETRIBUTION. DISPELLING THE NOTION OF OFFENDERS AND EX-OFFENDERS AS INCORRIGIBLE MISFITS IS NEEDED TO SECURE THEIR ACCEPTANCE AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. WAYS TO EDUCATE THE CITIZENRY TO THE PURPOSE OF CORRECTIONS AND TO THE REAL NATURE OF INMATES, FOR THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF RECRUITING THE LARGEST POSSIBLE NUMBERS OF VOLUNTEER WORKERS, AS CITED IN THIS PAPER, INCLUDE UTILIZATION OF NEWS MEDIA (PRESS, TELEVISION, RADIO); WORD OF MOUTH PROMOTION OF VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT; LARGE-SCALE UTILIZATION OF OFFENDERS AND EX-OFFENDERS WORKING WITH COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS; SPONSORSHIP OF PRISON VISITATION PROGRAMS; ASSISTANCE TO INMATE FAMILIES; HELP TO EX-OFFENDERS IN FINDING EMPLOYMENT; AND FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND FUND-RAISING ACTIVITIES ON BEHALF OF THESE PROGRAMS. TABLES AND A LIST OF QUESTIONS MAILED TO RESPONDENTS ARE INCLUDED.