NCJ Number
68777
Date Published
1978
Length
471 pages
Annotation
IN THE FRAMEWORK OF A RESEARCH PROJECT ON SWISS CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, RESULTS OF A 2-YEAR STUDY OF THE FACILITIES, PERSONNEL, AND INMATES OF THE LENZBURG CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION ARE REPORTED.
Abstract
DATA DERIVE FROM 2 YEARS OF DAILY OBSERVATION BY THE RESEARCHER AND FROM A SURVEY OF 165 INMATES AND 63 STAFF MEMBERS. INMATE DATA IS ANALYZED BY COMPUTER. THE STUDY DESCRIBES THE PRISON LOCATION AND PLANT; THE PRISON POPULATION, PURPOSE, AND ORGANIZATION; SECURITY MEASURES AGAINST ESCAPE; THE PRISON MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; THE EDUCATION, FUNCTIONS, AND WORKING CONDITIONS OF STAFF; CLOTHING AND CARE OF PRISONERS; DISTRIBUTION AND ORGANIZATION OF INMATES' WORK; LEISURE ACTIVITIES; EVERYDAY LIMITATIONS ON INMATES' FREEDOM; AND THE LEGAL STATUS OF PRISONERS. ALSO DISCUSSED ARE MEDICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC INMATE PROGRAMS; OUTSIDE CONTACTS; OPERATION OF THE PRISON WORK FACILITIES; INMATES' BACKGROUNDS AND SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES; THE STAFF'S PERSONAL AND SOCIAL SITUATIONS; INMATES' ATTITUDES AND NORMS; AND STAFF ATTITUDES. RESULTS PORTRAY THE INSTITUTION AS A HIERARCHICALLY ORDERED, WELL-ORGANIZED, CLOSED INSTITUTION WITH RELATIVELY LOW SECURITY IN AN INDUSTRIAL AREA. NO PARTICULAR CORRECTIONAL POLICY IS EVIDENT. THE PRISONER-PERSONNEL RATIO IS HIGH, MANY STAFF MEMBERS HAVE TOO MUCH WORK, AND NO TRAINING IS PROVIDED FOR NEW WORKERS. CARE, CLOTHING, AND FACILITIES ARE OF HIGH QUALITY. THE POINT SYSTEM FOR EARNINGS IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND, LEISURE ACTIVITIES ARE LIMITED TO DIVERSIONS, FEW EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS EXIST, AND DISCIPLINARY MEASURES ARE FREQUENTLY USED. WORK FACILITIES ARE CLEAN BUT NOT GEARED TO LEARNING THE NEWEST TECHNOLOGY FOR VOCATIONS ON THE OUTSIDE. NO SPECIAL STAFF ATTENDS TO INMATES' PSYCHOLOGICAL CARE. MOST INMATES ARE FROM BROKEN, LOWER-CLASS FAMILIES; THEY MAINTAIN OUTSIDE CONTACTS, HAVE PREVIOUS RECORDS (AN AVERAGE OF 7.3 CONVICTIONS, USUALLY FOR PROPERTY CRIMES), AND FIND THEIR TREATMENT HUMANE AND THE WARDEN FAIR. INMATES DISTRUST GUARDS AS A GROUP BUT LIKE INDIVIDUALS. THE PERSONNEL TENDS TO BE SOMEWHAT OLDER THAN THE PRISONERS, WITH MORE EDUCATION AND MIDDLE-CLASS BACKGROUND; MOST ARE MARRIED AND HAVE CHILDREN. CORRECTION GUARDS FAVOR REFORM LESS AS THEY RISE IN RANK. GUARDS REJECT RESOCIALIZATION EFFORTS BECAUSE OF THE THREAT TO ORDER AND THEY OPPOSE LIBERALIZATION TRENDS WHICH THEN MEANS TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS. GUARDS FEEL MISUNDERSTOOD BY MANAGEMENT, HAVE LITTLE EMPATHY WITH INMATES, AND VIEW RECIDIVISM AS THE RESULT OF FACTORS OTHER THAN IMPRISONMENT. TABLES, NOTES, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND EXTENSIVE APPENDIXES ARE SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN.