Social Programs and Correctional Control in a Maximum Security Environment - The Case of Attica

• NCJ Number: 79863
• Author(s): J A McCain; R B McNally
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 13 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Prepared for delivery at the annual meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 11-14, 1981.

Annotation

The use of social programs to reduce inmate misbehavior is assessed at the Attica Correctional Facility (New York), a maximum security institute.

Abstract

The study's purposes were (1) to evaluate selected correctional social programs, (2) examine correctional management techniques, and (3) assess the impact of selected correctional programs on inmate behavior in a maximum security setting. The study hypothesized that there is a positive relationship between organized social programs and a decrease in the rate of inmate infractions heard by either an adjustment committee or a superintendent's hearing. The study drew a randomized cluster survey of 107 inmate histories from Attica's B-Block, where the resident characteristics closely parallel the general distribution of the characteristics of the general prison population of 1,670 inmates. Eight case histories were drawn from honor housing, because this representation could not be gained by strict sampling from B-Block alone. Data were recorded for 1 year (1978-79) on such variables as age, ethnicity, education, previous drug and alcohol use, marital status, present work assignment, and sentence length. These variables helped ensure the study's capacity to generalize findings to larger offender populations. Also recorded were the number of privileges accorded a sample of inmates in 1978 (family reunions, membership picnics, and block picnics), as well as the number and types of infractions adjudicated by the prison adjustment committee and superintendent's hearings in 1979. The study produced no data to substantiate the hypothesis that a positive relationship exists between various social programs at Attica and a decrease in the frequency of misbehavior. The honor housing program did appear to influence inmate behavior positively. In view of these findings, prison officials should rethink the goals of these inmate social programs with a view toward determining if any desired effects can be gained from them, or discontinue them on the basis of cost-ineffectiveness. Seven references are listed.