NCJ Number
73360
Date Published
1980
Length
75 pages
Annotation
Following a review of complaint procedures in correctional institutions, this study recommends that the National Institute of Corrections and other funding agencies support the development of complaint procedures that involve inmates, staff, and outsiders in resolving complaints.
Abstract
This survey and analysis of inmate complaint procedures throughout the United States was conducted by the Center for Community Justice in Washington, D.C. Introductory material narrates the historical impetus for the study and the development of formal complaint mechanisms and describes types of administrative grievances mechanisms (multilevel grievance procedures, ombudsmen, grievance commissions, inmate councils, inmate unions, and legal services programs). Through responses to questionnaires from the correctional agencies of 50 States and 60 local jails, the center determined that the overwhelming majority of correctional agencies now have some formal complaint mechanism: multilevel grievance procedures exist in 95 of the 101 jurisdictions with formal mechanisms, ombudsman programs exist in only 30, and 26 agencies have both types of mechanisms. The survey showed that the use of inmate councils had declined and that legal services programs, although widespread, rarely deal with complaints related to the day-to-day functioning of correctional institutions. By visiting 10 prisons and 4 jails, selected to provide a cross section of complaint procedures which were considered effective, the center staff determined that complaint procedure design correlated with procedure effectiveness. Two design features most closely related to program success were participatory design for the resolution of complaints and the availability of outside review. In addition, careful implementation and adequate recordkeeping were found to be critical. The center recommends that every correctional institution should have a formal complaint procedure; procedures should be designed by inmates, staff, and administrators; complaint systems should be supported by management information systems; and legislatures should enact provisions that institutionalize formal complaint systems. Tables, charts, and footnotes are included. Appendixes provide summaries of existing complaint procedures and site visit reports. (Author abstract modified)