NCJ Number
56269
Journal
Human Organization Volume: 37 Issue: 2 Dated: (1978) Pages: 172-179
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
TWO RESEARCHERS REVIEW THE EFFECTS THEIR PERSONALITIES AND THEIR CHILDHOOD BACKGROUNDS HAD ON AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF THE OREGON STATE PENITENTIARY AND RECOMMEND THAT OTHER RESEARCHERS TURN SUCH BIASES INTO ASSETS.
Abstract
IN DOING SEPARATE BUT COORDINATED RESEARCH, EACH INVESTIGATOR ARRIVED AT DIVERGENT IMPRESSIONS AND ANALYSES OF PRISON LIFE. COMPARISON OF THE INMATES WITH WHOM EACH WAS ABLE TO ESTABLISH RAPPORT SHOWED THAT THE RESEARCHERS' OWN PERSONALITIES HAD CHANNELED THEM INTO CERTAIN SUBCULTURES OF THE PRISON. AS A RESULT, EACH SAW ONLY A PART OF THE WHOLE, BUT BOTH TOGETHER GAINED A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE LARGER SITUATION. ONE RESEARCHER WAS A JAPANESE AMERICAN WHO HAD GROWN UP IN A POOR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHO STILL HAD MORE FRIENDS AMONG BLUE COLLAR WORKERS THAN AMONG UNIVERSITY GRADUATE STUDENTS. HIS INFORMANTS TENDED TO BE LOWER MIDDLE CLASS OR POOR INMATES, MOST OF WHOM HAD BEEN CONVICTED FOR HOMICIDE, ARMED ROBBERY, ASSAULT, AND OTHER VIOLENT CRIMES. THESE MEN TENDED TO MANIPULATE THE SYSTEM AND HAD ESTABLISHED STRONG TIES TO THE INFORMAL AND SEMILEGAL TO ILLEGAL REWARD SYSTEMS WITHIN THE PRISON. THE OTHER RESEARCHER WAS UPPER MIDDLE CLASS AND WELL EDUCATED. HE TENDED TO SEE THE INMATES AS SOCIETY'S VICTIMS, IN PRISON DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THEIR CONTROL. HIS INFORMANTS WERE EITHER THE YOUNGER PRISONERS OR THE 'OLD TIMERS.' MANY WERE PSYCHOLOGICALLY UNSTABLE AND NONE HAD LEARNED TO MANIPULATE THE PRISON SYSTEM. CONTRASTING BIASES AND ORIENTATIONS ARE IMPORTANT FACTORS IN FIELD RESEARCH. SUCH PERSONALITY DIFFERENCES SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AND USED AS ASSETS IN THIS TYPE OF STUDY. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)