U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

EFFECTS OF FACILITATION TRAINING PROVIDED CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS STATIONED AT THE ATLANTA FEDERAL PENITENTIARY

NCJ Number
7293
Author(s)
W L MEGATHLIN
Date Published
1969
Length
108 pages
Annotation
STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A TRAINING PROGRAM IN IMPROVING ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE EMPATHY, RESPECT AND GENUINENESS.
Abstract
A SECOND PURPOSE OF THE INVESTIGATION WAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE PROGRAM CAUSED ANY CHANGE IN THE OFFICERS' ATTITUDES ABOUT WORK, AND IN TEST SCORES RELATING TO INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS AND TO ANXIETY, EXTROVERSION, AND INDEPENDENCE. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT THE PRESENT STUDY DEMONSTRATES THAT THE OFFICER CAN BE TAUGHT TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY UNDERSTANDING, CARING, AND A GENUINE RELATIONSHIP AND THAT HIS LEVEL OF TOLERANCE CAN BE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. IN ESSENCE THE OFFICER CAN LEARN TO BE HELPFUL. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRAINING THE OFFICERS WERE MOST CAUTIOUS AND RIGID AT ATTEMPTS TO COMMUNICATE IN A HELPING RELATIONSHIP. THESE SAME OFFICERS, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE TRAINING, DISPLAYED A NOTICEABLE DEGREE OF SELF-CONFIDENCE. IT IS THE INVESTIGATOR'S OPINION THAT THE OFFICERS WERE CONVINCED THAT BECAUSE THEY KNEW HOW TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY THEY COULD NOW BE HELPFUL. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)