NCJ Number
48984
Date Published
1975
Length
54 pages
Annotation
A PROJECT TO STIMULATE DIALOGUE BETWEEN STAFF AND INMATES OF MCNEIL ISLAND FEDERAL PENITENTIARY AND MEMBERS OF A NEARBY COMMUNITY (STEILACOOM, WASHINGTON) IS DESCRIBED AND EVALUATED.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT WAS TO BRING PRISON AND COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES TOGETHER TO BEGIN DISCUSSING CRIME, PUNISHMENT, REHABILITATION, AND RECIDIVISM IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF INFORMED, REFLECTIVE THOUGHT. NEARLY 500 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN 4 3-HOUR SESSIONS, WHICH INCLUDED A GENERAL PRESENTATION, A QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PERIOD, AND SMALL-GROUP DISCUSSIONS. THE FIRST SESSION CONSIDERED THE 100-YEAR HISTORY OF THE MCNEIL ISLAND PENITENTIARY AND ITS RELATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS AND THE GENERAL PURPOSE OF PRISONS IN THE AMERICAN SOCIETY. THE SECOND SESSION CONSIDERED THE PRISON'S EFFECT ON LIFE IN STEILACOOM, AND ON PERSONAL VALUES, FEELINGS AND BELIEFS ABOUT PRISON AND PRISONERS, AND PHILOSOPHIES OF IMPRISONMENT. THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ENFORCING LAWS AND REINFORCING PROGRESS FOR OFFENDERS, THE MEANING OF 'PROTECTION', AND THE MEANING OF 'REHABILITATION' WAS DEALT WITH IN THE FINAL DISCUSSION. THE EVALUATION PROCEDURE KNOWN AS THE 'ZEITGEIST' OR 'FAST FORUM' TECHNIQUE WAS USED TO DETERMINE THE SESSIONS' EFFECT. PARTICIPANTS WERE GIVEN A CARD AT THE BEGINNING OF A SESSION AND ASKED TO RECORD THE BEST IDEAS HEARD DURING THE SESSION, PLUS DATA ON THEIR SEX, AGE, AND OCCUPATION. THE PROJECT WAS EFFECTIVE IN DRAWING A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PRISON AND COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES INTO MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE, LARGELY THROUGH THE USE OF A WELL-CONCEIVED BROCHURE AND THOROUGH PLANNING. EVALUATION RESPONSES INDICATED THAT SPEAKERS' PRESENTATIONS WERE EXCEPTIONALLY PERCEPTIVE AND DISCUSSIONS WERE STIMULATING AND PROFITABLE. THE PROJECT SUFFERED, HOWEVER, FROM AMBIGUOUS FOLLOWUP ACTION. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS COPIES OF EVALUATION DIALOGUE SUMMARIES, A SPEECH PRESENTED BY THE PRISON WARDEN, AND SAMPLES OF NEWS CLIPPINGS ABOUT THE SESSIONS. (RCB)