NCJ Number
49233
Date Published
1971
Length
104 pages
Annotation
PAROLE OFFICERS' PERFORMANCE OF TREATMENT AND MEDIATION FUNCTIONS IS EXPLORED IN A STUDY OF 57 OFFICERS SERVING ADULT PAROLEES IN OHIO.
Abstract
TREATMENT REFERS TO A PAROLE OFFICER'S EFFORTS TO ENABLE THE CLIENT'S ADJUSTMENT TO HIS SURROUNDINGS. MEDIATION REFERS TO THE OFFICER'S ATTEMPTS TO MOBILIZE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES ON BEHALF OF THE CLIENT. TWO SCALES DESIGNED TO MEASURE RELATIVE EMPHASIS ON MEDIATION AND TREATMENT FUNCTIONS WERE COMPLETED BY OFFICERS WHO POSSESSED AT LEAST 18 MONTHS OF EXPERIENCE. CORRELATIONS WERE MADE REGARDING THE OFFICER'S BACKGROUND AND ASSIGNMENT CHARACTERISTICS, SUCCESS WITH THEIR CLIENTS, AND MEDIATION-TREATMENT EMPHASIS. THERE WAS A GENERAL ABSENCE OF STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE VARIABLES STUDIED. THERE WAS DISAGREEMENT IN THE FINDINGS OF THE TWO SCALES (SITUATIONAL AND ATTITUDINAL) MEASURING TREATMENT AND MEDIATION FUNCTIONS. THE TWO MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS--FINAL RELEASE RATE AND SUPERVISOR RATING -- ALSO PRODUCED DIFFERENT FINDINGS. THERE WAS NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE THAT OFFICERS WHO EMPHASIZE ONE FUNCTION OVER ANOTHER ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL. GREATER SUCCESS (IN TERMS OF FINAL RELEASE RATES) WAS ASSOCIATED WITH GREATER AGE OF THE PAROLE OFFICER, LONGER EMPLOYMENT, AND SMALLER CASELOADS. IN TERMS OF SUPERVISOR RATINGS, PAROLE OFFICER EFFECTIVENESS DECREASES AS CASELOAD SIZE INCREASED AND AS YEARS OF EDUCATION INCREASED. THE DATA ALSO SUGGEST THAT BLACK PAROLE OFFICERS MAY MAKE GREATER USE OF MEDIATION THAN DO WHITE OFFICERS, THAT OFFICERS WHO HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED LONGER TEND TO MAKE GREATER USE OF MEDIATION, AND THAT OFFICERS WITH SMALLER CASELOADS ARE MORE LIKELY TO USE MEDIATION. IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. SUPPORTING DATA, STUDY INSTRUMENTS, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)