PERCEPTIONS OF PENITENTIARY INMATES AND STAFF

• NCJ Number: 14002
• Journal: Journal of Social Psychology Volume: 92 Dated: (APRIL 1974) Pages: 217-224
• Author(s): E S SHIHADEH; A N B NEDD
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 8 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Canada Solicitor General
• Corporate Author: Journal Press
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

EXAMINATION OF INMATE PERCEPTIONS OF THE VALUE OF MEMBERSHIP ON PENITENTIARY RESIDENTIAL UNIT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES FOR THE REHABILITATION OF INMATES.

Abstract

THE DEGREE OF FAVORABLENESS OF INMATE PERCEPTIONS OF THE COMMITTEES WAS TREATED AS A FUNCTION OF THEIR PARTICIPATION IN A NUMBER OF OTHER PENITENTIARY PROGRAMS. IT WAS FOUND THAT CATEGORIZATION OF INMATES IN THIS WAY WAS USEFUL FOR IDENTIFYING AND EXPLAINING DIFFERENCES IN THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF THE UTILITY OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE RESIDENTIAL COMMITTEES FOR REHABILITATION. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT IN THE CASE OF THREE PROGRAMS--GROUP THERAPY, PLAYING BRIDGE, AND INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING OF INMATES BY CLASSIFICATION OFFICERS--PARTICIPANTS HAD SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FAVORABLE PERCEPTIONS OF RESIDENTIAL COMMITTEES THAN NONPARTICIPANTS. A COMPARISON OF THE PERCEPTIONS OF RESIDENTIAL COMMITTEES BY THESE INMATE SAMPLES AND STAFF DISCLOSED THAT ONLY PARTICIPATION IN COUNSELING BY CLASSIFICATION OFFICERS AND PLAYING BRIDGE RESULTED IN INMATES' PERCEPTION OF THE COMMITTEES BECOMING AS FAVORABLE AS THOSE OF THE STAFF. THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY EMPLOYED DISSONANCE THEORY TO ACCOUNT FOR THE EFFECT OF PARTICIPATION ON INMATES' PERCEPTIONS OF THE COMMITTEES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)