NCJ Number
210114
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 67 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2005 Pages: 80-83,91
Date Published
June 2005
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The attitudes of administration, staff, and inmates toward the benefits of recreation for detainees and inmates in a county jail were obtained through separate questionnaires for each of these groups.
Abstract
The survey involved a local detention facility that housed pretrial and sentenced inmates of both sexes and all ages, races, and security levels. The recreation area was located on the facility's roof and included both an indoor and an outdoor recreation area for access year round; accommodation was for 100 inmates at a time. The recreation staff consisted of two recreation program specialists, one of which was a certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS). The annual recreation budget was approximately $20,000. Survey administrative respondents consisted of special duty officers, lieutenants, captains, and the division chief. Staff respondents were sworn employees assigned to a specific operational post. Inmate respondents were males and females of all security classification levels who volunteered to respond to the survey. Nine inmates indicated the reason they chose to participate in recreational activities was for positive emotional and spiritual benefits as well as exercise; eight of the inmates also indicated that recreation offered them some freedom of choice in an otherwise controlled environment. Administrators and staff felt that recreation is a useful means for stress relief, increasing self-esteem, breaking up the monotony of jail life, and promoting physical health. The CTRS confirmed that the interviewed respondents expressed views that indicated the projected goals of the recreation program were being achieved.