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            Auburn University - University Relations
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 6/23/95                     Janet McCoy

AU, AUM AND UAB RESEARCHERS TO STUDY ALABAMA'S CHAIN GANGS
     AUBURN -- An Auburn University professor will be the principal 
researcher in a statewide effort to evaluate the effectiveness of 
Alabama's controversial new chain gang program for state convicts.
     The work by AU's Tamryn Etten, Paul Sharp of AU at Montgomery
and  Charles Lindquist of the University of Alabama at Birmingham
could also  assist officials in other states interested in
establishing chain gangs.
     The research proposal, which has been submitted for funding to 
the National Institute of Justice, has been endorsed by Ron Jones, 
commissioner of  the Alabama Department of Corrections.
     "This research could keep other jurisdictions that want to 
establish chain gang programs from reinventing the wheel," says
Etten, an  assistant professor in AU's Department of Sociology. "We
hope to create a  description of a model program that jurisdictions
could follow."
     The researchers will create a description by evaluating how
the  Alabama program was originally conceived and implemented,
according to  the proposal.
     Etten says the research is needed because of the growing
national  attention and the political popularity of programs which
get tough on crime.
     "The proposed research will show how the program could be 
improved and evaluate the humaneness and safety of chain gangs as
a form  of punishment in the U.S.," she says.
     The study will be conducted in three phases.
      In addition to a process evaluation, researchers will also 
conduct a historical review of chain gangs nationally and perform
a  systems review and needs assessment to see if the Alabama prison
system  information would support an empirical evaluation.
     Alabama in May became the first state to revive  chain gangs
as a form of punishment for state prisoners.
     "Since that time, the state Department of Corrections has been 
flooded with inquiries from jurisdictions interested in
establishing  their own chain gang programs," says Sharp, an
associate professor of  sociology at AUM.
     Etten says the process evaluation "will answer questions such
as  why the state decided to implement the program, and how it
decided  several practical matters such as the number of inmates to
chain  together; distance between inmates; type of chains and
shackles to use;  work structure in terms of location, tasks and
hours; clothing and  equipment to purchase; length of prisoner
assignment for maximum specific  deterrent benefit; classification
and background of inmates to assign;  safest and quickest shackling
method; and means of tracking chain gang  member's progress."
     The historical review will be done by Lindquist, who has 
conducted corrections research for more than 17 years.
     Sharp, who has worked extensively Jones, will coordinate
meetings  with research staff and help conduct the systems review.
Etten and Sharp  will work together to plan the future evaluation
of the program's  deterrent effect.
     At Jones' request, Sharp had already begun initial research to 
gauge the effectiveness of the chain gang program.
      "My research so far is preliminary, but the program has shown
a  decrease in the number of rules violations within the
institutions," he  said. 
     Sharp says he believes inmates are better behaved because 
corrections officers now have a "new authority" and can threaten 
disciplinary action of a chain gang. # # # june95:AU-chaingangs
     CONTACT: Etten, 205/825-4420 or 334/844-2824; Sharp, 
334/244-3672; or Lindquist, who will be in his office after July 5
at  205/934-2069.