In:
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, SAGE Publications, Vol. 1, No. 2 ( 1964-07), p. 83-95
Abstract:
Compliance consists of two dimensions: (1) acquiescence, agreeing or disagreeing with the directives of a superior; and (2) evaluation, a reason for agreeing or disagreeing. It has been shown to be related to many organizational variables and may prove frùitful in expanding knowledge about correctional insti tutions. Data relating to compliance were drawn from a study of two correctional institutions for juvenile offenders, one public and the other private. The two institutions differed in their philoso phy of how to rehabilitate juvenile delinquents, in the kinds of offenders admitted to each institution, and in organizational structure. It was found that inmates at the private institution were more likely to perceive staff wanting them to change, and were more likely to feel that the changes pertained to more than mere con formance to institutional rules and routines. Overall, inmates agreed that they should change as staff wanted in about five out of eight instances. There were no differences in the rate of agree ment between institutions nor for staff positions, but some cot tages consistently showed a higher rate of agreement than other cottages. Staff directives for change appeared to be evaluated on two bases: (1) moral, whether the staff member had a right to request such a change; and (2) calculative, whether more was to be gained from agreeing or disagreeing to change. Inmates most often evaluated the directives of staff on moral grounds, although in some cottages calculative evaluations predominated. No dif ferences in the evaluation of staff directives were found between institutions, staff positions, or type of directive. When the two dimensions of compliance were related, three types of compliance emerged: (1) normative compliance; (2) calculative compliance; and (3) alienation. The first is charac terized by agreement on a moral basis, the second by agreement on a calculative basis, and the third by disagreement on a moral basis. It was conjectured that the ability of these two institutions to evoke calculative compliance produced a relatively high rate of acquiescence, but that this kind of compliance is not likely to sustain law-abiding behavior after release from an institution.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0022-4278
,
1552-731X
DOI:
10.1177/002242786400100201
Language:
English
Publisher:
SAGE Publications
Publication Date:
1964
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2011523-4
SSG:
2
SSG:
2,1
SSG:
5,2
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