Internal Ventilation of Grievances - Applications and Petitions (From Accountability and Prisons, P 157-164, 1986, Mike Maguire et al, eds. See NCJ-100462)

• NCJ Number: 100469
• Author(s): C Austin; J Ditchfield
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 4 pages
• Sale Source: Methuen, Inc
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A 1983 British study of inmate grievance procedures in two local prisons, two training prisons, and two dispersal prisons found that institutional grievance processing was most effective at the training and dispersal prisons.

Abstract

Inmate confidence in the staff handling of grievances was lowest at the two local prisons. Only a small proportion of the inmates interviewed felt their requests and grievances had been handled positively or sympathetically at the wing staff or governor (warden) levels. Rapid population turnover, commitment to court duties, and long lockup periods prevent the staff of local prisons from devoting time and resources to inmate requests and complaints. Grievance and request procedures were more developed at the training and dispersal prisons. Staff in these institutions typically spent more time conversing informally with inmates about their needs and complaints. Access to the warden's office in all institutions was limited, and inmates generally viewed petitions to Boards of Visitors (an ostensibly independent complaint board) as being futile challenges to administrative decisions. Similarly, written petitions to the Home Secretary were viewed by inmates as ineffective means of challenging prison administration decisions.