NCJ Number
19535
Date Published
1974
Length
164 pages
Annotation
AN ASSESSMENT OF THIS PROJECT WHICH GIVES WARDS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FORMAL EXPRESSION OF GRIEVANCES AND PROVIDES IMPARTIAL HEARINGS FOR REVIEWS INVOLVING REPRESENTATION OF WARDS, STAFF, AND OUTSIDE ARBITRATORS.
Abstract
THIS EVALUATION COVERS THE TIME PERIOD FROM SEPTEMBER 1973 THROUGH JUNE 1974 AND INVOLVES BOTH INTERVIEWS AND WRITTEN QUESTIONNAIRES ADMINISTERED TO SAMPLES OF WARDS AND STAFF AT VARIOUS TIME INTERVALS, BEFORE AND AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW PROCEDURE. A TOTAL OF 279 GRIEVANCES WERE FILED DURING AN ELEVEN MONTH PERIOD FROM SEPTEMBER 1973 THROUGH JULY 1974. APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE GRIEVANCES FILED DEALT WITH POLICY ISSUES, WHILE THE REST WITH INDIVIDUAL CONCERNS. THE EVALUATION SHOWED THAT WARD KNOWLEDGE OF THE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE APPEARS TO BE GENERALLY ADEQUATE. MOST WARD AND STAFF EXPRESSED A POSITIVE APPRAISAL OF THE OVERALL USEFULNESS OF THE PROCEDURE. GENERALLY, GRIEVANCES WERE PROCESSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES DEVELOPED FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND FOR THE MOST PART, WARDS WERE SATISFIED WITH THE FAIRNESS OF THE PROCEEDINGS. STAFF EXPRESSED A NEED FOR MORE TRAINING BEYOND INITIAL ORIENTATION AND AGREED THAT A FORMAL WARD GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE WAS NEEDED. THE APPENDIXES INCLUDE THE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE PRINCIPLES AND SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRES USED IN THE STUDY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)