TRAINING OF PRISON GUARDS (FROM NOTES ON CRIMINOLOGY AND SOCIAL PATHOLOGY, 1977, N 14)

• NCJ Number: 55234
• Author(s): J DERIDDER
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: Universite Catholique de Louvain
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: French
• Country: Belgium

Annotation

THE ROLE OF PRISON GUARDS AND THE OBJECTIVES OF GUARD TRAINING PROGRAMS IN BELGIUM ARE DEFINED.

Abstract

PRISON GUARDS COME FROM THE SAME SOCIOECONOMIC GROUP AS THE CONVICTS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE POTENTIAL GUARDS BELONG TO A MAJORITY SUBGROUP WHICH SEEKS SOCIAL ADVANCEMENT RATHER THAN TO A MARGINAL SUBGROUP LIKE THE CONVICTS, WITH THE RESULT THAT PRISON GUARDS LACK PREVIOUS CONTACT WITH DELINQUENTS AND ARE NAIVE IN DEALING WITH THE TRICKS OF THEIR CHARGES. FIFTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE PRISONERS TO BE GUARDED DO NOT RETURN TO THE PRISON AND CAN BE ASSISTED THROUGH RESOCIALIZATION EFFORTS, WHILE 45 PERCENT ARE SENTENCED AGAIN AND AGAIN. TASKS OF THE GUARDS INCLUDE PROTECTING SOCIETY AND THE SOCIAL ORDER BY GUARDING PRISONS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY REHABILITATING PRISONERS WHO SHOW PROMISE OF REFRAINING FROM FUTURE CRIMES. FOR MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS TRAINING OF GUARDS SHOULD EXTEND TO THE EDUCATION OF THE GUARDS INDIVIDUALLY BY PROVIDING INSIGHT INTO THE EXACT NATURE OF DELINQUENCY AND BY PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR OWN POTENTIAL NAIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARD SEASONED CRIMINALS, AS WELL AS FURNISHING EDUCATION RELEVANT TO THE GUARDS' FUNCTIONS AS SECURITY AGENTS, OBSERVERS, AND LEADERS ABLE TO GUIDE CONVICTS. TRAINING IS DEEMED NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE HIGHLY SPECIALIZED NATURE OF PRISON GUARDS' WORK. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)