Cheryl Swanson

Mentoring juveniles in adult jail: An example of service learning

This paper describes and evaluates a service learning project whereby students mentored juveniles who had been referred to adult court and were awaiting trial in adult jail. The mentoring project had three learning objectives: 1) to provide students with a deeper understanding of the problems and needs of youthful offenders, 2) to help students learn about the jail as an institution, and to assess its impact on the juveniles detained there, and 3) to evaluate the problems and needs of juvenile offenders in light of various punishment alternatives. A questionnaire and student papers were used to evaluate the project. The authors concluded that learning objectives were substantially achieved and that the project helped students formulate a more thoughtful analysis of the juvenile crime problem and corrections.

From Machiavelli to Ms: differences in male-female power styles.

While the concept of power has always been a concern to students of political science and public administration, it has been examined only peripherally in the last few years. Recent work by McClelland has indicated that power may be a very important variable in explaining managerial behavior and organizational effectiveness. Starting with a definition of power provided by McClelland, this paper develops a conceptual framework for analyzing power-related behavior in an organizational setting. The framework is then applied to a problem area of particular interest to the authors--the question of whether or not women managers can be expected to behave differently than their male counterparts because of possible differences in their orientations toward power. We conclude that differences in power needs will not impede the effectiveness of female managers, but women may be at a disadvantage in the work environment due to possible differences in the way they express these needs.

HIV/AIDS Education Needs Assessment: A Comparative Study of Jail and Prison Inmates in Northwest Florida

To ascertain HIV/AIDS knowledge levels and the education needs of inmates in four jails and two state prisons in northwest Florida, a needs assessment instrument was administered on-site. Because prison inmates receive HIV/AIDS education at intake, it was hypothesized that this group would have greater knowledge levels than jail inmates. On the whole, knowledge levels were good in both groups, with prison inmates scoring somewhat better than jail inmates. Of the 24 items on the questionnaire, only six questions resulted in statistically significant differences. Of these, three were questions representing high-risk situations, two were low-risk situations, and one represented a no-risk or minimal-risk situation. Item analysis of the questions on which there were lower percentages of correct answers or a somewhat large percentage of not sure responses resulted in the conclusion that HIV/AIDS education needs to focus more on discriminating between differing levels of risk and identifying appropriate behaviors for varying risk levels. Specific recommendations for HIV/AIDS education in jails and prisons are offered.

Incarcerated Fathers and Their Children: Perceptions of Barriers to Their Relationships

High incarceration rates have led to more interest in the effects of incarceration on families, especially children. Most research has focused on the relationship between incarcerated mothers and their children. This study centered on father–child relationships and potential barriers to maintaining and developing them. A sample of 185 incarcerated fathers was interviewed within a maximum security state prison in the southern United States. Multiple regression analyses indicated two family barriers (children’s mother’s attitude and children’s attitude) made a statistically significant contribution to explaining inmates’ self-reports concerning relationships with their children. Measures of institutional barriers were not found to statistically contribute to the models. Fathers’ responses to an open-ended question about relationships with their children support the quantitative findings. The research suggests that strategies for improving parent–child relationships for the male incarcerated population should focus not only on institutional barriers but also on family barriers.

Incarcerated Fathers and Parenting: Importance of the Relationship With Their Children

This study examined the relationships of incarcerated fathers (n = 185) with their children while in a maximum security prison. Despite the attention to parental incarceration and at-risk children, the child welfare and corrections literature has focused mostly on imprisoned mothers and children. Demographic, sentence, child-related, and program participation factors were investigated for their influence on father–child relationships. Multiple regression analyses indicated race and sentence contributed to the fathers positive perceptions of contacts with their children. Most important, many, though serving lengthy sentences, valued and perceived a positive father–child relationship. Results are discussed in light of implications for future research and social policy.

Organizationl Response To Environmental Pressures: The Policy of Affirmative Action

This article outlines a strategy for examining the effect of environmentally induced change on organizational behavior. The major concern is the response of organi zations to demands to hire greater numbers of women and minorities. Central to predicting organizational response to change is a reformulation of the concept of technological core with respect to one type of structure—the public federative organi zation. Given the literature on organizational environment and change, it is predicted that organizations will accede to demands to hire more women and minorities but will channel them into positions that are thought to confer the least cost and the greatest benefit on the organization itself irrespective of the goals of affirmative action. The implications of the study are important for predicting major obstacles to policy implementation.

Is Criminal Justice Education Ready for Reentry

An important criminal justice issue in the twenty‐first century is the large number of prisoners returning to communities in the aftermath of strict sentencing policies and high incarceration rates. Data show these offenders are likely to reoffend, threatening public safety and burdening already stretched correctional budgets. An emerging literature identifies issues that are crucial to successful offender reintegration. At the same time, new roles for correctional professionals are apparent. Given these developments, this study focuses on whether criminal justice education is ready for reentry. A case for covering reentry topics in the criminal justice curriculum is made. Educators from a national criminal justice organization are surveyed to determine their perceptions about the importance of reentry in higher education as well as the extent to which their courses cover selected reentry topics. Findings suggest that college educators broadly address reentry, although the amount of time devoted to reentry topics is limited. Implications of the findings are discussed with possibilities for future consideration.

Analyzing Police Policies: The Impact of Environment, Politics, and Crime

Soaring crime rates coupled with urban unrest have produced considerable disillusionment and disenchantment with the ability of law enforcement agencies to combat various forms of antisocial behavior. In response to the law enforcement challenge, a number of proposals have been offered and certain new programs have been introduced. This study attempts to determine whether certain city characteristics are more likely than others to be associated with the adoption of particular strategies

Have Attitudes Changed? Citizens' Views of Prison Effects on Their Community over Time

Fall 1997 147 DRAMATIC GROWTH in the prison population during the last two decades and the consequent need to build additional facilities have increased academic and practitioner interest in the effect of prison sitings on communities. A number of studies have measured prison effects, including changes in the crime rate, employment, and local property values. Most research concludes that when prisons are introduced, considerable economic benefits are realized, with few social costs in the form of increased crime (Lidman 1988; Abrams and Lyons 1987; Smykla et al. 1984; Hawes 1985). Prison sitings continue to be controversial, however, which suggests a more complex picture. While objective measures of effects are important, a number of researchers have suggested that attitudes of community residents should be considered (Carlson 1988; Krause 1991; Shichor 1992; Swanson 1993). Carlson (1990b), for example, notes that at the outset, resident expectations of economic benefits may be unreasonably high, so that when modest economic growth does occur, locals regard the benefits afforded by the prison siting with disappointment and resentment. More importantly, research on resident attitudes suggests that effects have a Have Attitudes Changed? Citizens’ Views of Prison Effects on Their Community over Time

Testing a Theory of Organizational Discrimination

The theoretical concerns of the study stem from a sizeable body of literature in organization theory which attempts to explain and predict how organizations respond to demands for change from their environments. The literature suggests that while an organization must adapt to its environment to ensure its continued existence, the organization is also motivated to minimize the impact of change on its core activities (Thompson, 1967; Kirlin, 1973).