NCJ Number
58179
Journal
Corrections Magazine Volume: 11 Issue: 6 Dated: (DECEMBER 1976) Pages: 3-5,12,36-40,44-48
Date Published
1976
Length
17 pages
Annotation
KEY ISSUES ABOUT THE NATION'S 42,000 STATE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS ARE COVERED IN THIS NATIONAL PROFILE WHICH RELATES THE CONCERNS OF GUARDS IN SIX STATES.
Abstract
FOR THE STUDY, CORRECTIONS MAGAZINE SPENT SEVERAL THOUSAND HOURS TAPE RECORDING INTERVIEWS WITH PRISON GUARDS IN CALIFORNIA, CONNECTICUT, MASSACHUSETTS, ILLINOIS, RHODE ISLAND, AND ARKANSAS. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO AND RETURNED BY ALL 50 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. NO NATIONAL PRISON GUARD MODEL WAS FOUND, AND THIS INABILITY TO GENERALIZE ABOUT THE CONTEMPORARY CORRECTIONAL OFFICER WAS APPARENT IN THE DISPARITY FOUND IN AREAS FROM GUARD-INMATE RATIOS TO PAY, UNIFORM, EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING. SALARIES WERE ALSO FOUND TO VARY WIDELY. GUARDS DISPLAYED A LACK OF CLARITY AND CONSISTENCY REGARDING THEIR EXPECTED ROLES. DEPARTMENT POLICY GOVERNING THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH INMATES WAS OFTEN AT THE CENTER OF OFFICER CONFUSION AND UNCERTAINTY. GUARDS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE LINE BETWEEN FRATERNIZATION AND BEING FRIENDLY WITH INMATES POSED A DILEMMA FOR THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICER. DIFFERENT VIEWS OF WHAT RULES MEANT TO ADMINISTRATORS AND OFFICERS MADE THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICER'S JOB MORE COMPLEX. OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THE GUARDS WERE THE HIGH TURNOVER IN THE JOB, INADEQUATE TRAINING, LOW SALARIES, AND POOR PUBLIC IMAGE. OLDER GUARDS CITED AS PROBLEMS THE SHRINKING LOYALTY TO THE JOB, THE DECLINE OF GUARDS' AUTHORITY, AND INDIFFERENCE TO EXCELLENCE FOUND IN PRISONS. THE QUESTION OF JOB COMPETENCE IS CLOUDED BECAUSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICER POSITION ARE OFTEN MINIMAL AND VARY WIDELY FROM STATE TO STATE. MANY INMATES ALSO CLAIMED THAT CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS ARE NOT PREPARED FOR THEIR JOBS; THE TRAINING OF GUARDS VARIES FROM MINIMAL OR VIRTUALLY NO TRAINING IN SOME STATES TO EXTENSIVE TRAINING IN OTHERS. PROBLEMS ARE ALSO INTENSIFIED BY CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEMS THAT CAN DELAY ROUTINE DECISIONS FOR MONTHS AND BY INCREASINGLY MILITANT UNION DEMANDS. ALTHOUGH SUCH ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS ARE INCREASING FOR SHIFT SUPERVISORS IN MANY PRISONS, THE IMMEDIATE CONCERN OFTEN IS ABSENTEEISM BROUGHT ABOUT BY JOB DISSATISFACTION AND RESENTMENT OVER WHAT THE GUARDS SEES AS A GAP BETWEEN HIMSELF AND THE TREATMENT STAFF. DISSATISFIED GUARDS ALSO REPORTED THAT THEY AND THEIR COLLEAGUES OFTEN HAVE BEEN AN UNUSED RESOURCE WITHIN THE PRISONS AND INSIST THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD A PART IN STAFFING THE NEW PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BROUGHT INTO PRISONS IN RECENT YEARS. SOME ADMINISTRATORS AGREE THAT GUARDS SHOULD BE AT THE CENTER OF THE INSTITUTIONS' TREATMENT SYSTEM. THE PRISON GUARD HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED WITHIN THE PRISON SYSTEM, AND REFORM IS LONG OVERDUE. AN ACCOMPANYING ARTICLE IS REPORTED AS NCJ-58180.