RACE OF INMATE, RACE OF OFFICER, AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AT A FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION

• NCJ Number: 61542
• Author(s): J L BOYD
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 37 pages
• Grant Number(s): 13202; 18468
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: FCI RESEARCH REPORTS, V 8, N 1, 1976

Annotation

DISCIPLINARY REPORTS AT A FEDERAL INSTITUTION FOR YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS WERE EXAMINED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF RACIAL BIAS IN REPORTING AND HANDLING DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS.

Abstract

OTHER INVESTIGATORS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT RACIAL BIAS EXISTS THROUGHOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. RACIAL BIAS HAS BEEN ALLEGED TO EXIST AT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT A CLOSED SOCIETY IN WHICH A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF INMATES ARE BLACK AND MOST STAFF ARE WHITE. THE PRESENT STUDY EXAMINED TWO ASPECTS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INMATE RACE AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS: (1) THE RATES AT WHICH WHITE AND BLACK INMATES RECEIVED CONDUCT REPORTS (SHOTS) AND THE NATURE OF THE INFRACTIONS, AND (2) DIFFERENCES IN HOW BLACK AND WHITE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, MATCHED FOR LENGTH OF EMPLOYMENT, HANDLED DISCIPLINARY MATTERS. TEN BLACK OFFICERS AND 20 WHITE OFFICERS WERE IN THE STUDY SAMPLE. INMATE POPULATION TOTALED 846 WHITES (64 PERCENT) AND 475 BLACKS (36 PERCENT). RESULTS SHOWED THAT BLACK AND WHITE INMATES WERE TREATED ESSENTIALLY THE SAME. RATES OF SHOTS RECEIVED OVER SEVERAL YEARS AND PENALTIES ASSIGNED DID NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FOR WHITE AND BLACK INMATES. BLACK AND WHITE OFFICERS DID NOT DIFFER IN THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHOTS SUBMITTED, BUT THEY DID DIFFER IN KINDS OF OFFENSES REPORTED. IN ADDITION, BLACK OFFICERS SUBMITTED A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF SHOTS ON BLACK INMATES. RESULTS ARGUE AGAINST THE LABELING THEORY NOTION THAT CRIMINAL JUSTICE DECISIONMAKING IS DETERMINED BY OFFENDER CHARACTERISTICS RATHER THAN BY OFFENSE CHARACTERISTICS. DIFFERENCES IN CORRECTIONAL OFFICER BEHAVIOR INDICATED THAT BLACK AND WHITE OFFICERS FACE DIFFERING PROFESSIONAL PROBLEMS AND IDENTITY CONFLICTS. RESULTS PRECLUDED A STATEMENT REGARDING RACIAL BIAS AND DISCRIMINATION IN GENERAL AND ARE APPLICABLE ONLY TO THE INSTITUTION STUDIED. A REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE, TABLES, FOOTNOTES, A SAMPLE CONDUCT REPORT, A REFERENCE LIST, AND LIST OF PREVIOUS PUBLICATIONS IN THIS RESEARCH SERIES ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)