Sisyphus in a juvenile institution

Clemens Bartollas, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Justice Professions, Sangamon State University, Springfield, Illinois. At the time this article was conceived, he was a social worker and wing director, Training Institution, Central Ohio. The author wishes to thank Herbert Guerry, Jeffrey Mirus, and Richard Vela for their help in revising this article. What is it like to be a social worker come to work here?" Without waiting in a juvenile institution for males? Alfor me to respond, a second ques though all juvenile institutions have tioned, "Do you really need the money distinctive characteristics and unique that badly?" As I attempted to ex problems, the following description of plain that, unfortunately, I did have a maximum security, midwestern to work for a living, the third inter training school may be helpful in rupted, "This is a real jungle. You identifying some of the problems and can get eaten up here." providing possible solutions for the At the end of the first day at work, social worker. I bolted out the front door, noticing The institution in question is one the fresh spring breeze, and thought, reserved for highly hostile and aggres"My God, what have I gotten myself sive boys ranging in age from 15 to 18 in for?" years. As one administrator put it, After a brief orientation period of "There is no innocence here." These three or four days, during which time boys are considered to be the hardhe meets the various institutional offi core delinquents in the state. As seccials, the social worker leaves the se ondand third-time offenders, the macurity of case folders and directives jority of them have committed crimes and goes to his assigned cottage. For against persons and serious property me, it was a walk of a quarter of a offenses. mile, up a long, tunnel-like hall painted The boys are housed in eight cotinstitutional green. Using my newly tages joined by corridors connecting acquired master key, I unlocked the the school, vocational, and recreacottage door and walked in. The resi tional areas. Each cottage has a living, dents who saw me enter gave me the dining, and recreational area; offices usual treatment granted a newcomer, for the youth leaders and social They looked me over carefully and worker; two four-bed dormitories; and ignored me. A heavy silence filled the sixteen single rooms. At the time the air. author began working in the instituI walked to the rear of the cottage tion, eight social workers served as where the social worker's office was directors of the individual cottages. In located and saw my assistant sitting addition to the social worker, each behind the desk. "So, you finally de cottage had six youth leaders who were cided to come to the cottage," he said, assigned to the morning or afternoon getting out of the chair. He came for shift. One of the leaders was apward and shook my hand. He then pointed to supervise the other five sat down by the desk. I took control youth leaders and to be the assistant for a moment, seating myself in the cottage director. In particular, the associal worker's chair behind the desk, sistant cottage director was expected to But control quickly shifted back to the work with the social worker in running assistant as he proceeded to inform the cottage program. Since they served me that he had been doing the social in the house-parent role, the youth worker's job for some time and he was leaders were primarily concerned with glad the cottage had one at last, custodial matters. My assistant went on to list some of the responsibilities of the cottage di