NCJ Number
54034
Journal
Indian Journal of Social Work Volume: 39 Issue: 2 Dated: (JULY 1978) Pages: 175-185
Date Published
1978
Length
11 pages
Annotation
INCENTIVES AVAILABLE TO MOTIVATE INMATES IN THE MADRAS, INDIA PRISON VOCATION AND INDUSTRIAL PROGRAMS ARE REVIEWED AND THEIR IMPACT ASSESSED FOR A SAMPLE OF 95 PRISONERS. A WAGE PROGRAM IS RECOMMENDED.
Abstract
THE FIRST PORTION OF THE PAPER INTERVIEWS THE INMATES TO FIND OUT HOW OFTEN THE VARIOUS INCENTIVES, WHICH INCLUDE PRAISE, REMISSION OF SENTENCE, 'BIDI-RATIONS' (ADDITIONAL ALLOTMENTS OF GOODS), PROMOTIONS, AND CERTIFICATES, ARE USED. IT FINDS THAT 36 INMATES HAVE BEEN PRAISED, MOSTLY BY COWORKERS, WHILE 18 PERCENT HAVE RECEIVED PROMOTIONS. NO DATA WAS AVAILABLE ON REMISSION OF SENTENCES OR 'BIDI-RATIONS;' HOWEVER, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE INMATES PERCEIVE THESE REWARDS TO BE TOO INFREQUENT TO BE INCENTIVES. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT 52.6 PERCENT WOULD PREFER REMISSION WHILE 47.4 PERCENT WOULD PREFER 'BIDIS;' THOSE WITH LONGER SENTENCES PREFER 'BIDIS' BECAUSE OF THEIR BARTER VALUE. WIDE DISCREPANCY EXISTS BETWEEN STAFF REPORTING OF PUNITIVE MEASURES AND INMATE REPORTING. ONLY 30.6 PERCENT OF THE STAFF REPORTED USING ORAL REPRIMANDS, WHILE INMATES REPORTED THESE IN 60 PERCENT OF CASES STUDIED. STAFF REPORTED GREATER USE OF CANCELLATIONS OF REMISSION THAN INMATES. STAFF SAID THAT 30.6 PERCENT OF OFFENSES WERE REPORTED TO SUPERIORS. INMATES REPORTED CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN 16.8 PERCENT OF CASES AND SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN 6.3 PERCENT, BUT NEITHER OF THESE WERE MENTIONED BY STAFF. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT PRAISE IS USED TOO SPARINGLY, THAT REMISSIONS AND 'BIDI'-RATIONS ARE NOT TOO EFFECTIVE, AND THAT PROMOTIONS ARE MEANINGLESS AS INCENTIVES. A WAGE-EARNING SCHEME WITH THE MONEY SAVED FOR THE INMATE OR SENT TO THE FAMILY IS PROPOSED. TABLES GIVE DATA. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)