FROM MAXIMUM SECURITY TO SECURE TREATMENT ORGANIZATIONAL CONSTRAINTS

• NCJ Number: 62533
• Journal: HUMAN ORGANIZATIONS Volume: 37, Dated: (FALL 1978) Pages: 276-284
• Author(s): H J STEADMAN; J J COCOZZA; S LEE
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 9 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH 20367
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: University of Colorado at Boulder
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REVISED VERSION OF A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE 70TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, SAN FRANCISCO (CA), 1975

Annotation

THIS RESEARCH STUDY FOCUSED ON THE CONFLICTING GOALS OF CUSTODY AND TREATMENT THROUGH EXAMINATION OF THE TRANSITION OF A MAXIMUM SECURITY FACILITY TO A SECURE TREATMENT FACILITY.

Abstract

THE INSTITUTION EXAMINED WAS A MAXIMUM SECURITY MENTAL HOSPITAL RUN BY THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HYGIENE WHOSE PATIENTS WERE INVOLUNTARILY COMMITTED FOLLOWING ARREST UNDER CRIMINAL COURT ORDERS. DATA WERE COLLECTED OVER A 2-YEAR PERIOD OF TRANSITION FROM A CUSTODIAL PROGRAM TO A TREATMENT-ORIENTED PROGRAM. INTERESTS FELL PRIMARILY ON WHETHER STRUCTURAL FACTORS IN THIS TYPE OF ORGANIZATION WOULD PLACE SIGNIFICANT CONSTRAINTS ON THE ABILITY OF THE ORGANIZATION TO CHANGE MORE THAN ITS APPEARANCES. THE RESEARCH PROCEDURE WAS TO INTERVIEW ALL PATIENTS IN THE MENTAL HYGIENE FACILITY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER EACH OF THREE MAJOR ATTEMPTS TO ALTER THE TREATMENT ENVIRONMENT AND THEN TO INTERVIEW ALL PATIENTS AFTER THE FACILITY HAD ESTABLISHED ITS NEW ROUTINE. MAJOR CHANGES INCLUDED A MOVE TO A NEWLY RENOVATED BUILDING WITHIN THE SAME SECURITY PERIMETER, REPLACEMENT OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS BY MENTAL HYGIENE PERSONNEL, AND MOVEMENT OF THE PATIENT POPULATION TO A NEW FACILITY MILES FROM THE ORIGINAL INSTITUTION. THE NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS RANGED FROM 97 TO 192 DURING THE MARCH 1972 THROUGH MAY 1973 PERIOD. INTERVIEW INSTRUMENTS VARIED SOMEWHAT BUT ALL CONTAINED THREE ITEMS FROM STREET'S PRISONIZATION SCALE. FINDINGS SUPPORTED THREE HYPOTHESIZED EXPECTATIONS INVOLVING RISING EXPECTATIONS WITH CHANGE, INABILITY OF THE ORGANIZATION TO EFFECT REAL THERAPEUTIC CHANGE, AND CONSISTENCY OF PRISONIZATION FACTORS WITH EACH CHANGE. OVERALL, NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE LEVEL OF TREATMENT WAS AFFECTED OR WAS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORGANIZATION'S DUAL GOALS OF CUSTODY AND TREATMENT. FOOTNOTES, REFERENCES, AND TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)