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SOCIAL CLIMATES AT OKALHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS' COMMUNITY TREATMENT CENTERS, DECEMBER 1979

NCJ Number
68960
Author(s)
B CLARK; K MYERS; R LITTLE; C SANDEL
Editor(s)
C BIGGERS, D BALDWIN
Date Published
1980
Length
61 pages
Annotation
SOCIAL CLIMATE CHANGES AT 10 OKLAHOMA COMMUNITY TREATMENT CENTERS WERE MONITORED IN THIS PERIODIC EVALUATION FOR JULY TO DECEMBER 1979.
Abstract
THE PURPOSES OF THE STUDY WERE (1) TO CONTINUE MONITORING THE COMMUNITY TREATMENT CENTERS' PROGRAMS WITH THE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION ENVIRONMENT SCALE (CIES), (2) TO EXAMINE WHETHER OR NOT MAJOR SOCIAL CLIMATE CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THE PREVIOUS TEST PERIOD, AND (3) TO EXAMINE THE INFLUENCE OF STAFF TURNOVER AND POPULATION FLUCTUATIONS ON THE SOCIAL CLIMATE. THE CIES AND A BACKGROUND QUESTIONNAIRE WERE ADMINISTERED TO 468 MALE RESIDENTS, 54 FEMALE RESIDENTS (82.5 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION), AND 150 STAFF MEMBERS. THE DATA WERE TRANSFORMED INTO STANDARD SCORES FOR STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE SCORES IN THE AREAS OF RELATIONSHIPS AND TREATMENT APPROXIMATED THE NATIONAL NORMS, ALTHOUGH HIGHER SCORES WERE EXPECTED, SINCE EACH CENTER HAS A POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT PROGRAM AND WORK RELEASE AND MULTIPLE COUNSELING PROGRAMS. POPULATIONS SIZES IN THE CENTERS APPEARED TO AFFECT THE INTERACTION PATTERNS THROUGH DECREASING OR INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD AND NATURE OF CONTACTS. FINALLY, STAFF TURNOVER APPEARED TO AFFECT THE INMATES PERCEPTIONS OF THE AMOUNT AND QUALITY OF PLANNING FOR THEIR FUTURES. THE LONGER STAFF MEMBERS REMAINED, THE LOWER WERE THE INMATES' RATINGS FOR THIS ASPECT; THEREFORE, LONG-TERM STAFF MAY NEED ADDITIONAL TRAINING OR SOME TYPE OF 'BURN-OUT' SESSIONS. TABLES AND GRAPHS, AND APPENDIXES CONTAINING THE CIES QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES AND INFORMATION ON THE AVERAGE DAILY POPULATIONS AND EMPLOYEE TURNOVERS ARE INCLUDED.