IMPACT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM UPON ITS PERSONNEL

• NCJ Number: 48373
• Journal: Criminology Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: (MAY 1975) Pages: 118-120
• Author(s): E E PEOPLES
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 3 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc; American Soc of Criminology
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ITS SUBSYSTEMS HAVE A UNIQUE IMPACT UPON THEIR PERSONNEL RESULTING IN DIFFERENCES ALONG CERTAIN PERSONALITY DIMENSIONS.

Abstract

THE FIRO-B PROJECTIVE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS ADMINISTERED TO 183 MALE POLICE OFFICERS (12 CHIEFS, 16 CAPTAINS, 84 LIEUTENANTS, 15 SERGEANTS, 33 PATROLMEN, AND 23 RECRUITS); 72 MALE CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL (7 PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS, 38 CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, AND 27 PAROLE AGENTS); AND AN INMATE GROUP (50 MALE FELONS WELL INTO SERVING THEIR TERMS, AND 31 MALE FELONS WHO WERE NEW ARRIVALS). BOTH POLICE AND CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL SHARED A SIMILAR PERSONALITY PROFILE. BOTH GROUPS SHOWED AN AVERAGE NEED TO ORIGINATE SOCIAL BEHAVIORS AND A LOW-AVERAGE NEED TO BE INCLUDED BY OTHERS. BOTH GROUPS ALSO PROJECTED MODERATELY LOW-LEVEL BEHAVIOR IN ONE-TO-ONE (DYADIC) ENCOUNTERS, AND THEIR NEED TO RECEIVE FRIENDLY BEHAVIOR FROM OTHERS WAS HIGHER THAN THE NEED TO EXPRESS SUCH BEHAVIOR TO OTHERS. BOTH GROUPS ALSO EXPRESSED AN AVERAGE NEED TO BE ASSERTIVE, WITH CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL HAVING A HIGHER ASSERTIVENESS NEED THAN POLICE PERSONNEL. POLICE SERGEANTS, PAROLE AGENTS, AND CORRECTIONAL PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS PROJECT THE MOST ACTIVITY IN SOCIAL BEHAVIORS, WHILE PATROLMAN, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, AND NEW INMATES PROJECT THE LEAST. THESE LATTER THREE SUBGROUPS ALONG WITH THE TIME-SERVING INMATES ALSO SHARED SIMILAR LOW PROFILE IN DYADIC RELATIONSHIPS. NEW INMATES, CORRECTIONAL PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS, POLICE CHIEFS AND SERGEANTS, AND PAROLE AGENTS EXPRESSED THE STRONGEST CONTROL NEEDS. HOWEVER, CONTROL NEEDS OF ADMINISTRATORS AND PAROLE AGENTS WERE MORE PARTICIPATORY, WHILE THOSE OF POLICE CHIEFS AND SERGEANTS SHOWED A GREATER NEED FOR INDEPENDENCE IN THOUGHT AND ACTION. FINDINGS PROVIDE SOME PRELIMINARY SUPPORT FOR THE HYPOTHESIS. A MORE THOROUGH TEST OF THE HYPOTHESIS IS RECOMMENDED. NO TABULAR OR GRAPHIC DATA ARE CITED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (JAP)