NCJ Number
69142
Journal
Criminology Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Dated: (MAY 1980) Pages: 94-102
Date Published
1980
Length
9 pages
Annotation
FOCUSING ON THE SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLE OF COMMITMENT TO THE ORGANIZATION, THIS PAPER STUDIES THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN COMMITMENT AND VIOLENCE AMONG STAFF AND INMATES OF FOUR CUSTODIAL INSTITUTIONS.
Abstract
COMMITMENT IS DEFINED HERE AS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE ORGANIZATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL COHESION. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO THE INMATES AND STAFF OF A MEN'S PRISON, A WOMEN'S PRISON, A BOARDING SCHOOL FOR TROUBLED YOUTH, AND A DRUG REHABILITATION HALFWAY HOUSE (STAFF NOT QUESTIONED). ATTITUDINAL MEASURES OF COMMITMENT, IN WHICH INVOLVEMENT AND COHESION WERE EXAMINED ON A SELF-REPORT GUTTMAN SCALE OF VIOLENCE, WERE EMPLOYED. THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY INDICATED THAT VIOLENCE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY INVERSELY RELATED TO BOTH ORGANIZATIONAL INVOLVEMENT AND TO COHESION AMONG SOME CUSTODIAL INMATES, INDICATING A 'REHABILITATIVE' EFFECT. IN SOME INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS THIS MAY INDICATE A CONVENTIONAL, SOCIAL APPROACH TO LIFE. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT MAY BE THAT ESPOUSAL OF ORGANIZATION GOALS AND COHESIVE SENTIMENTS IS PART OF A 'GAME' PLAYED FOR EARLY RELEASE OR BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS, AND ALSO INCLUDES LITTLE REPORTED INVOLVEMENT IN VIOLENCE. VIOLENCE WAS SLIGHTLY POSITIVELY CORRELATED WITH INVOLVEMENT AND COHESION AMONG CUSTODIAL STAFF. THE MORE INVOLVED WITH THE ORGANIZATION AND THE MORE COHESIVE STAFF BECOME, THE MORE THEY BECOME INVOLVED IN VIOLENCE. HOWEVER, THEIR INVOLVEMENT IS MORE TO INTERVENE WITH AND TO CONTROL THE VIOLENCE AMONG INMATES AS A MEANS OF FURTHERING THE GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION. THE ISSUE OF COMMITMENT AND VIOLENCE, PARTICULARLY AMONG STAFF, WARRANTS ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS, AS DOES THE FURTHER SPECIFICATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TYPES OF CUSTODIAL SETTINGS, FEELINGS OF COMMITMENT AND VIOLENCE. FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. SAMPLE DATA ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE AUTHORS.