SOCIETAL REACTION - AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CERTAIN PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND THE LABELING PROCESS

• NCJ Number: 68489
• Author(s): P R KOSKI
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 115 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

DATA ON 845 INMATES OF JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES SHOW THAT AGE, SEX, AND RACE DO NOT AFFECT CERTAIN STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF THE CHILD BUT THAT BEHAVIOR WHILE IN THE INSTITUTION IS HIGHLY RELATED TO STAFF PERCEPTIONS.

Abstract

THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN SEVEN INSTITUTIONS RUN BY THE BUREAU OF JUVENILE REHABILITATION IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. FIVE HYPOTHESES DEVELOPED FROM A REVIEW OF LITERATURE ON LABELING THEORY WERE TESTED. THESE HYPOTHESES SUGGESTED THAT MALE CAUCASIANS UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE WOULD BE MORE POSITIVELY PERCEIVED THAN NON-CAUCASIANS, OLDER JUVENILES, AND FEMALES. DETAILED ATTITUDINAL QUESTIONNAIRES GIVEN TO STAFF MEMBERS THEN TESTED THESE HYPOTHESES. ANALYSIS FOUND THAT AGE, SEX AND RACE DID NOT AFFECT STAFF PERCEPTIONS BUT THAT INMATE BEHAVIOR -- PARTICULARLY PHYSICAL ACTS OF VIOLENCE, VERBAL ABUSE, AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY--DID RESULT IN NEGATIVE LABELING. STAFF PERCEPTIONS WERE NOT AFFECTED BY THE CRIME FOR WHICH THE JUVENILE WAS INCARERATED OR EVEN BY RUNNING AWAY. THE DISCUSSION SUGGESTS THAT THIS LACK OF STEREOTYPING MAY BE DUE TO STAFF TRAINING RESULTING IN A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO AVOID STEREOTYPING, OR THAT THE LABELING MAY BE MORE SUBTLE THAN THE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE. AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY, THE STUDY DATA, AND THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT ARE INCLUDED.