NCJ Number
54930
Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND PENOLOGY Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1978) Pages: 31-42
Date Published
1978
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER ATTEMPTS TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THE INTERESTS AND MOTIVATIONS IN THE NEGOTIATION OF SOCIAL CONTROL IN A CORRECTIONAL SCHOOL IN AN ISOLATED AREA OF RURAL IRELAND.
Abstract
THE SCHOOL USED IN THIS STUDY CATERED TO YOUNG OFFENDERS UNDER THE AGE OF 16. DURING THE PERIOD OF THE STUDY, THE PUPIL POPULATION DECREASED FROM 81 TO 41 WITH THE SCHOOL ULTIMATELY CLOSING DOWN. THE FOLLOWING RESEARCH TOOLS WERE USED IN THE COLLECTION OF DATA: (1) NONPARTICIPANT OBSERVATION, (2) STRUCTURED AND SEMISTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS, (3) SOCIOMETRIC TESTS, (4) QUESTIONNAIRES, AND (5) DOCUMENTARY ANALYSIS. RULES, REGULATIONS, AND GUIDELINES GOVERNING THE OPERATION OF THE SCHOOL WERE MINIMAL. THIS FACILITATED A SITUATION WHERE RULES, REGULATIONS BENEFITS, AND DEPRIVATIONS COULD BE SUBJECT TO NEGOTIATION BETWEEN STAFF AND PUPILS. IT WAS FOUND THAT STUDIES TENDED TO BE ASSIMILATED INTO THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, ADOPTING MOST OF THE VALUES ALREADY IN EXISTENCE. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT DUE TO THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE OF THE SCHOOL, STAFF MEMBERS OFTEN CHOSE THE MOST UNEVENTFUL PATH POSSIBLE. A PREDICTABLE PATH WAS MOST OFTEN CHOSEN DUE TO THE TEMPORARY NATURE OF THE SCHOOL. A POWERFUL GROUP OF EIGHT SENIOR PUPILS EMERGED AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STAFF AND OTHER PUPILS WAS OF GREAT INTEREST TO THE RESEARCHERS. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CLIQUE OF EIGHT STUDENTS, ALL WHO HAD GREATER PRIVILEGES THAN OTHER PUPILS, WERE MORE APT TO NEGOTIATE. THIS WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THEIR HAVING MORE TO GAIN FROM NEGOTIATION. TO MAINTAIN THEIR HIGH STATUS IN THE SCHOOL, IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE CLIQUE OF EIGHT BOYS TO ENSURE THE ADAPTATION OF OTHER BOYS IN THE SCHOOL. THIS STUDY ALSO INDICATED THAT THE DELINQUENT IDENTITY WAS NOT EMPHASIZED IN THE SCHOOL. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MLC)