Kevin N. Wright

A study of individual, environmental, and interactive effects in explaining adjustment to prison

The interactionist model of adjustment to prison suggests that inmates have unique characteristics which work as internal determinants of behavior, but do so within the framework of the prisons social environment, which facilitates or impedes satisfaction of needs. Distress occurs at the point of transaction where an individuals adaptive capacity is inadequate to meet internal and/or environmental demands. Past research examined the influence of both individual and environmental characteristics in determining patterns of prison adjustment but failed to investigate the fit between person and environment. Using multiple measures of individual effects, environmental effects, and congruence between person and environment, this study found that all three dimensions are significantly related to how inmates adjust to prison. Implications of these findings for prison administration are discussed.

Male and female employees' perceptions of prison work: Is there a difference?

In the descriptions of what employment is like for women working in male prisons, one discovers a notable dissimilarity between qualitative and quantitative research. Reports based upon interviews portray the work environment for women as hostile, where female officers suffer discrimination and harassment. In contrast, the relatively few surveys of attitudes discovered no difference in job satisfaction between men and women. This study attempts to clarify our understanding of the work experience for women working in mens prisons through a broad-based comparison of the survey-reported experiences of women and men employed in the federal prison system. Comparisons are made between opinions about supervision, job satisfaction, sense of personal efficacy in working with inmates, and job-related stress. The only significant differences are that women report greater job-reported stress and feel relatively less safe. The actual magnitude of stress differences is small, however, and although female respondents r...

Inmate Adjustment to Prison

Since the publication of The Prison Community (Clemmer, 1940) virtually thousands of books and articles have been published on prison life and the adjustment of prisoners to their confinement. Most authors depict prison life as destructive to inmates who reenter community life with increased knowledge concerning the mechanics of crime and a reserve of bitterness toward “the system.” In recent years, researchers have recognized that whereas incarceration impacts adversely on some prisoners, others cope relatively well with the stresses of confinement. Researchers have begun to identify factors, both external to the prison environment and internal to the inmate, as well as combinations of these factors that may influence the type of adjustment an inmate makes.

A comparison of perceptions of the work environment between minority and non-minority employees of the federal prison system

Abstract Since 1970, the number of minority staff working in the prisons in the United States has almost doubled, so that by 1990 the distribution of minority employees has come to approximate the inmate population distribution. Surprisingly little is known about the experience of these employees in the workplace. Early accounts found that Blacks and other minorities were discriminated against and treated with disrespect. This study used results of the Prison Social Climate Survey, which is administered to a sample of all employees in the federal prison system, to determine whether Blacks and Hispanics experience the organization differently from non-minority employees. The present study found that Blacks and whites and Hispanics and non-Hispanics did not differ in their job satisfaction or their opinions about supervision. Both Blacks and Hispanics had a greater sense of personal efficacy in working with inmates, and Blacks reported less job-related stress. Alternative explanations for these results are discussed.

The Relationship of Risk, Needs, and Personality Classification Systems and Prison Adjustment

This study compares different inmate classification systems—risk assessment, Megargees MMPI typology, and Tochs Prison Preference Inventory—to determine which best distinguishes inmates who experience adjustment problems. Findings indicated that none of the three schemes is clearly superior. Each possesses its own advantages and disadvantages. Interestingly, risk assessment distinguished inmates who receive institutional recognition as experiencing some problem. It differentiated inmates cited for aggressive disciplinary infractions and those who report to sick call. The Megargee and Toch systems distinguish inmates who reported they experienced adjustment problems.

An Organizational Analysis of Prison Hospice

The integration of prison hospice programs into the prison settings poses a unique organizational challenge. Generally, prisons adhere to strict functional boundaries and rigid chains of command in their operations and delivery of services. Yet hospice programs by their very nature involve interdisciplinary collaboration and coordination. Furthermore, hospice programs require the creation of more compassionate settings in which the end of life may occur, which challenges widely held beliefs that prisons must be stark and punitive and that prisoners must be treated with uniformity. Through interviews with prison hospice coordinators, this study explores the structure and operations of hospice programs, how well hospice programs are integrated within the larger prison community, and the impact that prison hospice programs have on the prison environment in general.

The desirability of goal conflict within the criminal justice system

Abstract A pervasive interest in the creation of a monolithic system for the administration of justice which is characterized by the lack of fragmentation and goal conflict is found throughout the criminal justice literature. This paper questions the basis and desirability of such a proposal. It is argued that criminal justice exists in a sociopolitical environment in which diverse groups exercise influence in accordance with their own interests. For this reason, it is highly unlikely that a single set of values could be identified upon which to base a monolithic system. It is further argued that goal conflict within criminal justice is desirable in that different interests can be reflected, there is a basis for system adaptation and change, and the system can better promote the smooth processing of offenders.

Creating Decent Prisons: A Serendipitous Finding about Prison Hospice.

Abstract Limited research has been conducted on the creation or impact of “decent” prisons, institutions where prisoners are treated with care and respect. This study set out to explore organizational factors associated with locating hospice programs into prison settings. Yet, the research produced unexpected findings about the contribution of hospice to the creation of decent prisons. Findings suggest that prison hospice programs have a transformative influence on the prisoners who volunteer for the program as well as on the overall institutional climate. Hospice appears to enhance the capacity to build and communicate respect, dignity and compassion among prison staff and prisoners.

Affirmative Action and the “Level Playing Field”: Comparing Perceptions of Own and Minority Job Advancement Opportunities

Little research has been done on the effectiveness of affirmative action programs in establishing perceptions of a “level playing field” for historically disadvantaged groups. Especially lacking is research on the perceptions of people working for specific affirmative action employers. This research uses both outcome and attitudinal data of correctional officers employed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, an affirmative action employer. Black and White correctional officers provide evaluations of their own opportunities for job advancement that are generally consistent with objective, aggregate data. Black and White officers, however, exhibit wide disagreement when surveyed about opportunities available for minorities. This research examines the processes by which the discrepancies between Black and White evaluations of minority opportunities arise. In particular, the authors examine the ability of two competing hypotheses to explain the disagreement between Blacks and Whites. The first hypothesis, the denial of minority opportunity hypothesis, holds that minorities underestimate minority opportunities relative to their own opportunities. The second hypothesis, the denial of majority opportunity hypothesis, maintains that nonminorities overestimate minority opportunities. Results suggest that White correctional officers tend to overestimate minority opportunities.

A policy maker's guide to controlling delinquency and crime through family interventions

For the past two decades, the trend in juvenile justice has been toward more punitive policies and laws. Implicit in these policies is a belief that children are cognizant of and wholly responsible for their behaviors, and therefore deserve the punitive responses they receive. The actions of people and institutions who surround children, however, play vital roles in their development. Therefore families appear to be a crucial, potentially productive point of intervention at which to reduce the likelihood of delinquency. This paper explores the relationship of family life to delinquency and derives five policy strategies to reduce delinquency: 1) prenatal and early childhood health care, 2) early intervention, 3) comprehensive family policy, 4) family treatment for troubled youths, and 5) parent training.