NCJ Number
57546
Date Published
1978
Length
667 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY ANALYZES THE DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS OF INMATE GRIEVANCE RESOLUTION PROCEDURES IN SEVERAL STATES.
Abstract
STAFF OF THE COMMUNITY CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROGRAM IN ST. LOUIS EVALUATED THE CENTER FOR CORRECTIONAL JUSTICE'S PROJECT WHICH FOCUSED ON DEVELOPMENT OF INMATE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES. PROJECT EFFECTIVENESS WAS ASSESSED IN TERMS OF THE REDUCTION OF VIOLENCE WITHIN INSTITUTIONS, INCREASE IN INMATES' PERCEPTION OF FAIR HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS, REDUCTION OF LITIGATION AGAINST INSTITUTIONS, INCREASED IN CLARITY OF WRITTEN GRIEVANCE POLICIES, AND INCREASE IN CITIZEN VOLUNTEER CORRECTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND PARTICIPATION. ASSESSMENT METHODS INCLUDED OBSERVATION, QUESTIONNAIRES, INTERVIEWS, AND INSTITUTIONAL RECORD ANALYSIS. THE NEED FOR EFFECTIVE MECHANISMS TO RESOLVE INMATE GRIEVANCES AND FOR ACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF MECHANISM EFFECTIVENESS IS APPARENT IN THAT THE NUMBER OF PETITIONS FILED BY FEDERAL AND STATE PRISONERS IN FEDERAL COURTS REPRESENTS OVER 20 PERCENT OF ALL CIVIL CASES FILED. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE ANALYSIS IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS WITHIN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK, SOUTH CAROLINA, COLORADO, AND KENTUCKY REVEALED THAT THE DIFFERENCES AMONG THE PRISONS, INMATES, AND STAFFS ARE MONUMENTAL, IMPLYING THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION, OPERATION, AND IMPACT OF SUCH PROCEDURES MUST BE CONSIDERED ON A STATE-BY-STATE BASIS. VARIOUS STRATEGIES OF IMPLEMENTATION WERE UTILIZED IN THE FIVE STATES STUDIED INCLUDING JUDICIAL DECREE, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, AND ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE. THE OPERATION WAS EVALUATED IN TERMS OF UTILIZATION OF THE MECHANISM BY INMATES, TYPES OF GRIEVANCES HANDLED MOST EFFECTIVELY, MONITORING, AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND PREVENTION. IMPACTS ARE ASSESSED ACCORDING TO EFFECTS ON LEAA OBJECTIVES, INMATES, LINE OFFICERS, THE ADMINISTRATION, AND SUITABILITY OF THE MECHANISMS TO OTHER AREAS. TABULAR DATA, CHARTS, AND GRAPHS, ARE PROVIDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN SURVEY INSTRUMENTS, FLOW CHARTS, DATA FORMS, AND OTHER INFORMATION. (LWM)