Contradictory Directives in Complex Organizations: The Case of the Prison

In a custodially oriented prison, the author found that guards were to enforce discipline and at the same time to minimize friction among inmates and between inmates and staff. In a treatment-oriented prison, guards were expected to contribute to inmate rehabilitation by being nondirective and showing concern for inmate personality problems. But they were also expected to maintain order. These conflicting directives, which characterize organizations of many kinds, made it necessary for administrators of both institutions to use multiple criteria in judging the performance of guards. However, even theoretically, criteria which would seem to define desirable over-all performance, to be rewarded and encouraged, could not be specified.' Donald R. Cressey is chairman of the Department of Anthropology and Sociology in the University of California, Los Angeles.