NCJ Number
16185
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1974) Pages: 347-358
Date Published
1974
Length
12 pages
Annotation
EXAMINES FEATURES OF THE WAY CASEWORKERS FUNCTION IN TOTAL INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS, FOCUSING ON DIAGNOSIC WORK PERFORMED IN THESE INSTITUTIONS.
Abstract
ALMOST THREE YEARS AS A CASEWORKER IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND INTERVIEWS WITH TWELVE PRACTITIONERS IN THE FIELD UNDERLIE THIS STUDY OF INSTITUTIONAL DIAGNOSIS, OR CLASSIFICATION. THE PROCEDURE WAS ESSENTIALLY TO DETERMINE THE PROCESS BY WHICH NOVICE PREPROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES LEARN THE TECHNIQUES AND DIAGNOSTIC ARGOT OF INSTITUTIONS, INTERVIEW AND 'DIAGNOSE' INMATES, AND TRAIN THEIR SUCCESSORS. NOVICES APPROACH THEIR POSITIONS IN CORRECTION WITHOUT AGREED UPON AND EMPIRICALLY RELIABLE TECHNIQUES FOR INTERPRETING THE CRIMINALITY OF OFFENDERS. IN FACT, THERE IS NOT IN EXISTENCE AT THIS TIME A BODY OF THEORY THAT IS ENDORSED BY THOSE IN CORRECTION. DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORIES USED IN CORRECTIONAL AGENCIES TEND TO BE ARBITRARY, AMBIGUOUS, AND AD HOC. PREVAILING DIAGNOSTIC PROGRAMS IN THESE AGENCIES ARE SELF-SERVING, CONCERNED PRIMARILY WITH LUBRICATING THE WORK FLOW AND REDUCING TO A MINIMUM THE UPSETS IN ESTABLISHED ROUTINES. NOVICES LEARN THEIR JOBS NOT BY BEING EXPOSED TO CORRECTIONAL THEORY BUT BY OBSERVING AND IMITATING THE PRACTICES AND ARGOT OF OLDER EMPLOYEES. WITH COMPETENCE IN CLASSIFICATION, MANY OF THE NOVICES DEVELOP A CYNICAL ATTITUDE TOWARD THEIR WORK AS THEY BEGIN TO QUESTION ITS VALUE AND THE VALIDITY OF THE THEORIES WHICH, PRESUMABLY, UNDERLIE IT. HAVING BECOME DISILLUSIONED, THEY EITHER LEAVE CORRECTION OR REMAIN AT THEIR POST, TRADING OFF DISILLUSIONMENT AND PERSONAL DISSATISFACTION FOR JOB SECURITY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)