NCJ Number
53994
Date Published
1977
Length
19 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY ANALYZES THE EFFECT OF VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS, CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT AND STAFF MORALE ON VOLUNTARY ATTENDANCE AT A REMEDIAL EDUCATION CENTER AT SHELBY COUNTY PENAL FARM IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
Abstract
IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE ATTENDANCE AND IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL SKILLS, OFFICIALS INITIATED THE PROGRAM AT THE REMEDIAL EDUCATION LEARNING CENTER (RELC), A REMEDIAL ADULT EDUCATION FACILITY OFFERING PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTION AND UTILIZING 35 INDIVIDUAL CARRELS, 2 INSTRUCTORS, AND OPEN 4 NIGHTS A WEEK. INCLUDED IN THE RESEARCH GROUP WERE 140 ADULT OFFENDERS, 17-72 YEARS OF AGE, SERVING A VARIETY OF MISDEMEANOR AND FELONY SENTENCES. THEY WORKED AN 8-HOUR DAY, 5 DAYS A WEEK AND WERE FREE TO ATTEND RELC OR PARTICIPATE IN OTHER PRISON ACTIVITIES. INMATE-STUDENTS WERE ADMINISTERED EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AT THEIR INITIATION TO THE PROGRAM AND THEN REASSESSED EVERY FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS. DETAILED ATTENDANCE AND PERFORMANCE RECORDS WERE KEPT ON A ROUTINE BASIS. IN ORDER TO VALIDATE THE USE OF ATTENDANCE AS AN IMPORTANT DEPENDENT VARIABLE, THE CORRELATION BETWEEN MAN-HOURS OF ATTENDANCE AND GRADE LEVEL IMPROVEMENT ON THE MONTHLY ACHIEVEMENT TEST WAS CALCULATED FOR ALL 140 MEN WHO HAD ATTENDED THE LEARNING CENTER FOR A SIX-MONTH PERIOD. RESULTS AT THE END OF A 2-YEAR PERIOD INDICATED THAT VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS, COUPLED WITH CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT IN THE FORM OF AN AVAILABLE, VISIBLE TELEPHONE, PROMOTED THE MOST SUFFICIENT LEVEL OF ATTENDANCE. HOWEVER, INTANGIBLE INFLUENCES SUCH AS STAFF MORALE PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE BEHAVIOR OF THE CLIENT POPULATION.