TEAM CLASSIFICATION IN STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONSITS ASSOCIATION WITH INMATE AND STAFF ATTITUDES

• NCJ Number: 46077
• Journal: Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 63-73
• Author(s): J R HEPBURN; C A ALBONETTI
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 12 pages
• Grant Number(s): 75-ED-07-0003
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; Missouri Division of Corrections
• Corporate Author: American Assoc of Correctional Psychologists
• Sale Source: University of Missouri, St Louis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DATA FROM A SURVEY OF 1,295 INMATES AND 555 STAFF MEMBERS IN MISSOURI PRISONS ARE USED TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF THE TREATMENT TEAM APPROACH.

Abstract

EACH TREATMENT TEAM CONSISTS OF AN INMATE, HIS CASEWORKER, HIS PAROLE OFFICER, HIS IMMEDIATE WORK SUPERVISOR, AND THE SUPERVISOR OR COUNSELOR ASSIGNED TO HIS HOUSING UNIT. THE TEAM FORMULATES AND IMPLEMENTS A PERSONALIZED PLAN FOR THE INMATE. DECISIONS AFFECTING THE INMATE (WORK AND CELL ASSIGNMENT, DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS, FURLOUGH REQUESTS, MERIT TIME CONSIDERATIONS, ETC.) ARE MADE BY THE TEAM ON THE BASIS OF THE PLAN. SURVEY DATA INDICATE THAT THE TEAM APPROACH, PROPERLY IMPLEMENTED, IS POSITIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH FAVORABLE STAFF ATTITUDES TOWARD INMATES, TOWARD WORK ASSIGNMENTS, AND TOWARD OTHER STAFF MEMBERS, AND WITH POSITIVE INMATE ATTITUDES TOWARD STAFF AND TOWARD LIVING AND PROGRAM ASSIGNMENTS. THE TEAM APPROACH IS NEGATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH PUNITIVE ATTITUDES AND ROLE CONFLICT AMONG STAFF MEMBERS AND WITH ALIENATION AMONG INMATES. IMPLICATIONS OF THE SURVEY FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED.