TREATMENT-CUSTODY STAFF CONFLICTS IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS - A RE-ANALYSIS

• NCJ Number: 37505
• Journal: CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND CORRECTIONS Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1976) Pages: 379-386
• Author(s): P MAXIM
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Canadian Criminal Justice Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

THE AUTHOR REEXAMINES THE LITERATURE DEALING WITH THE CONFLICT BETWEEN TREATMENT AND CUSTODIAL STAFF, AND ARGUES THAT THIS CONFLICT IS NOT AN INHERENT FEATURE OF CORRECTIONS' CONFLICTING GOALS.

Abstract

THIS PAPER PROPOSES THAT CONFLICTS ARISING BETWEEN CUSTODIAL AND TREATMENT PERSONNEL WITHIN CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS ARE NOT THE RESULT OF MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE GOALS, AS SOME OF THE LITERATURE STATES, BUT RATHER THE RESULT OF MANAGEMENT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY DEAL WITH ROLE CONFLICT AND INTEREST GROUP FORMATION. THE AUTHOR ASSERTS THAT THE GOAL EXPANSION REQUIRED OF MODERN CORRECTIONAL CENTERS TO INCLUDE BOTH TREATMENT AND CUSTODY UNACCOMPANIED BY SOME OVER-ALL END-GOAL, LEADS TO INTEREST GROUP CONFLICT BETWEEN THOSE WHO VIEW THEIR SPECIFIC SUB-GOALS AS END-GOALS RATHER THAN THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE A GREATER OBJECTIVE. HE CONTENDS THAT THIS INTEREST GROUP CONFLICT CAN BE OVERCOME, HOWEVER, BY MANAGEMENT CREATING A SUITABLE END-GOAL WHICH WILL ENCOMPASS THE WORK OF ALL EMPLOYEES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)