Showing papers by "Francis T. Cullen published in 1991"

The effectiveness of stigma coping orientations: Can negative consequences of mental illness labeling be avoided?

Abstract: Recent research has assigned a prominent role to labeling and stigma as factors that impair the social and psychological functioning of people officially labeled mentally ill But can the effects of labeling and stigma be overcome by adopting a few simple approaches to coping with these problems? If so, the stigma-induced problems of social awkwardness, demoralization and unemployment emphasized by recent research may not be as severe as claimed Using a sample of psychiatric patients, we examine this issue by assessing whether patients can ameliorate labeling effects by keeping their history of treatment a secret, educating others about their situation, or avoiding situations in which rejection might occur None of these coping orientations were effective in diminishing negative labeling effects on unemployment or on psychological distress/demoralization In fact, the three coping strategies show consistent effects in the direction of producing more harm than good, and with respect to withdrawal-avoidance this effect is significant Based on these results we argue that stigma is powerfully reinforced by culture and that its effects are not easily overcome by the coping actions of individuals Using C Wright Mills's (1967) distinction we conclude that labeling and stigma are "social problems" not "individual troubles"

The Impact of Race and Gender on Correctional Officers' Orientation to the Integrated Environment

Abstract: The effects of race and gender on the work experiences and professional orientations of correctional officers were tested using data obtained from 155 front-line staff in a southern U.S. correctional system. Main effect and interaction multivariate tests were conducted, and both organizational and individual effects were observed. Racial correlates showed that Black officers were significantly more likely to perceive peer support, to perceive their job as dangerous, and to espouse a rehabilitation orientation. Gender was correlated only with supervisory support. Two organizational correlates were found. The first, maximum security placement, adversely affected officers' perceptions of danger and work stress but favorably affected their perceptions of peer support; the other, night shift, showed that workers on that shift were significantly more likely to have a custody orientation. Upon controlling for supervisory support and peer support, R2values increased for job dissatisfaction, work stress, and role ...

Explaining Crime Ideology: An Exploration of the Parental Socialization Perspective

Abstract: The claim is often made that criminal justice policy reflects, partially or more fully, the public will. Although criminologists have devoted much attention to the sources of citizen attitudes, a potentially important source of crime ideology has been neglected: inter-generational transmission. Informed by the political socialization literature, the present study examines the role of parents in socializing offspring to embrace views toward crime and control. Based on a sample of 152 parent-child pairs, parents were found to be more influential in determining their offspring's conservative as opposed to liberal crime ideology. Possible explanations and policy implications of this finding are explored.