Prison Management Governing Prisons Corrections Officers Prisons

Prison Management Governing Prisons Corrections Officers

Prisons as unique organizations (vs. UMD or General Motors) § § Don’t select clients Have little or no control over release Clients held against their will Clients do most of the daily work in the institution (and are not really paid) § Depends on the relationships between staff & clients

How best to run prison? § The “Old Penology” § PN vs Auburn model, prison farms, etc. § Use of corporal punishment § Sociological Research/Implications § Interest in inmate culture, argot roles, “prisonization, ” and so forth § Not interested in helping “the man” control inmates § Implies that running a prison demands the cooperation of inmates (CO-inmate agreement, tolerate some violations, etc. )

John Di. Iulio Governing Prisons (1986) § Approaches issue from policy/political science background § What is a “good prison? ” § Confinement model § Order, amenity, security § Comparison of three prison systems § § § TX control model MI responsibility model CA consensual model § Concludes TX is best, and suggests much of the prison violence in 1960 s/70 s due to “lax, liberal” management

Di. Iulio II § Critique § Was prison violence of the 1970 s due to lax/permissive management? § The “exceptional leader” theory of prison management § Defects in the TX system § Building Tenders § CO use of physical coercion § Collapse of TX system in 1980 s § Importance of Book: MANAGEMENT MATTERS

Manager Styles § Authoritarian § gives orders, manages details, controls all (TOP DOWN) § Joseph Ragen (Stateville until 1960 s) § George Beto (TX until 1970 s, “Walking George”) § Laissez-faire § Little/no direction (do what you think is best) § Maybe for hospitals (highly trained staff) but probably not prisons § Democratic/participatory § See, “A Model Prison” box in Clear et al. book § Inmates pool funds to buy amenities, “town hall meetings”

Unit Management § Used heavily in the federal BOP and many states (more popular of late) § Divide prison into small “units” § Greatly aided by architecture (pods) § Units more manageable § Team approach (CO and caseworkers) § Better career ladder § Restrict inmate movement

Corrections Officers § How do CO’s maintain control over the inmate population? § Hassine? § Conover? § Bases of Power § § Legit (power b/c of position) Coercive (ability to punish) Reward (ability to reward) Expert (special knowledge, skill, professional judgment) § Referent (gain respect)

Influences on Power § What dictates the type of power that is most important to a CO? § Environment/Structure § Coercion less likely in a centralized bureaucracy § Expert more valued and training more likely § Attitudes/Roles § More social distance = less referent/expert power § Custody orientation = more coercive § Type of prison (Rx or Custody) § Rx depends upon more referent/expert power

Marquart (1986) § The extent and nature of the use of coercive force § Qualitative/participatory study—CO in the Texas Department of Corrections § “Ass Whooping” and “Tune up” relatively common. § Part of CO subculture (build cohesion), how officers got better post or were promoted, maintain “control model” § More common among young

Job Satisfaction/Burnout § Why Important? § What predicts burnout/intention to quit? § Importation (Gender, Race, Education, etc. ) § Weak effects, but nonwhite, female, more education hold more negative attitudes § Deprivation (Perception of Danger) § Danger is #1 predictor (mean r =. 26) § Management (Supervisor Support, Role conflict) § Role conflict (r =. 22), Support (r = -. 16)

CO Basics § Corrections Officers § More popular now (move up ranks, money is a bit better, more qualfications) § Median federal around $40 K (State = $32 K, Private = 22 K) § Job prospects = good § Corrections Counselors § More requirements (psychology degrees) and earn more money (case manager, counselor)