NCJ Number
146876
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 17 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1992) Pages: 7-19
Date Published
1992
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The results of two nationwide surveys on aspects of corrections are reported.
Abstract
The first survey deals with staffing of State, Federal, and Canadian correctional facilities including such information as total number of officers, ratio of staff to inmates, qualifications, and training. In the second part of this report, information is provided about psychological screening of correctional staff recruits for the 14 States that reported its use. Fourteen State and two Canadian systems report decreases in the ratio of correctional officers to inmates since 1990. Although prison populations are generally rising, at least 20 States and Canadian systems had no plans to add officers in 1992. The report presents a profile of corrections in the United States and Canada that includes total numbers of officers, percentages by sex of correctional officers, annual turnover and beginning and average salaries for correctional officers. Information on recruitment efforts, entry qualifications, hours of training, union representation for correctional officers and the availability of services for stress-related problems is also provided. The second Survey provides a comparison of the 14 State correctional systems that employ psychological screening in their staff selection process. Information gathered for this survey includes the year psychological screening was started, the authority for screening, who does the testing, whether any follow-up is done, the costs, the appeal process and an assessment of the effectiveness of the programs. The States that use psychological screening in their employment process report improvements in the quality of recruits, lower turnover, and the ability to screen out psychologically inappropriate candidates. 3 tables