.......................................................... The Implications of National Service for Corrections James B. Jacobs Cornel University April 1982 ----------------------------------------------------------. CRSO Working Paper /I260 Copies available through: Paper Prepared for presentation at Center for Research on the University of Chicago Conference Social Organization in Honor of Morris Janowitz University of Michigan May 14-15, 1982 330 Packard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 National Service is an idea that will not be put to rest. The image of young people realizing their own potential by THE IMPLICATIONS OF busying themselves in behalf of the nation has reappeared NATIONAL SERVICE FOR CORRECTIONS throughout the twentieth century, or at least since it was sug- gested by William James in his 1910 essay "The Moral Equivalent of ~ar."l It achieved partial realization in the Civilian Con- servation Corps during the Depression, and was seen again with James 8. Jacobs the creation of the Peace Corps under President Kennedy. Cornell University National Service surfaced again in the mid 1960es, this time in response to criticisms of the inequities of Vietnam-era con- scription.2 Proponents like Morris Janowitz vigorously argued that if all young Ameicans were required to serve their country for a short time in a military or civilian capacity, not only would the nation meet its military manpower needs, but it would do so in a way that would provide multiple benefits to young people and to the country.3 Whereas the draft necessarily created resentment on the part of the minority who were chosen to serve, National Service, he argued, would universalize and therefore legitimate the duty to serve. And National Service would be superior to an all-volunteer force because it would strengthen citizenship norms as well as provide an effective definition of military service. perhaps if the draft had continued a few more years, National Service would have achieved greater political sup- March 21, 1982 port. This is possible, because in addition to those who fav- ored ~ationalService as the best approach to recruiting mili- tary manpower, there was another constituency that saw National by the Gates Commission. In the early years, recruiting short- Service as an answer to a host of youth problems--unemployment, falls created widespread doubts about the nation's ability to delinquency, drug abuse and alienation generally, and as a attract enough personnel by means of economic incentives. In national strategy for assisting the transition from school to fact, had the Pentagon not consistently reduced its force work by providing counseling, training, and job experience.4 levels throughout the 197OVs, the all-volunteer force would Whether the two proponent groups would have been able to surely have failed.6 The Gates Commission's predictions con- develop a broad based national coalition in the late 1960's and cerning the quality of personnel who could be recruited for an early 1970's is a matter for conjecture. President Nixon all-volunteer also proved incorrect. As Morris Janowitz and clearly preferred an all-volunteer armed forces (AVF); the Charles Moskos have shown, recruits are less educated, reli- national (Gates) commission which he appointed to study the able, and socially representative then their predecessors in matter, ratified and provided intellectual legitimacy for his the pre-Vietnam period.7 Not surprisingly, the combat readi- position. As for National Service, the Gates Commission rejec- ness of the AVF has been persistently questioned at home and ted the idea on the ground that: abroad. Above all, mandatory National Service is coercive. The future prognosis hardly inspires optimism. The capa- Such a system of universal conscription would require all those eligible to serve within a specified period city to maintain (or increase) force levels, in the face of a of time. If insufficient numbers proved willing to enlist in the military or volunteer for other onerous shrinking youth cohort, is problematic.8 Thus, the return of a types of government service, some would be required to serve in these less desirable capacities. In es- peacetime draft within the next decade must be regarded as sence, mandatory National Service requires forced labor. Although motivated by a genuine interest in highly likely, unless, of course, there is some other alterna- the nation's welfare, advocates of mandatory National Service are suggesting a compulsory system which is tive, like National Service. more consistent with a totalitarian than a democratic heritage. If the service that youth would render is National Service has been kept alive in Congress and in important and valuable enough to merit public sup- port, it can and should be financed through general the writings and advocacy of various intellectuals and activ- taxation. 5 ists. In 1977, the Senate Subcommittee on Manpower and Person- With the end of the Vietnam War and the institutionaliza- nel of the Armed Services Committee released a comprehensive tion of the AVF one might have expected National Service once study, authored by Professor William King, entitled "Achieving again to hibernate. his has not happened because of persis- America's Goals: National Service or the All-Volunteer Force." tent and well documented problems in the AVF. Almost from the After reviewing the difficultieswith the AVF, the report con- .,. beginning the AVF failed to meet many of the goals projected cluded that some form of National Service is desirable and feasible. This hardly suggests that National Service is on the verge Any of the wide variety of national service programs on which the nation might embark would serve to ad- of enactment. No doubt the idea is philosophically, politi- dress some of the basic informational and diagnostic needs of American youth as well as to alleviate some cally and fiscally abhorrent to the Regan administration. (Of of the present and potential problems of the AVF. A broad-scale program of national service could address course, so too, once upon a time was draft registrationl) But and alleviate a wide-range of such needs and prob- lems, this enabling the nation to more effectively times and administrations change. The challenge of recruiting pursue its national goals.9 military manpower will not go away; if anything, it will inten- Three National Service bills have been introduced into sify. Nor are youth unemployment, delinquency, drug abuse and recent sessions of Congress.10 Two of them, presented by Con- illegitimacy abating; To be sure, National Service has its gressmen McCloskey and Cavanaugh, provide for comprehensive logic. national service programs. Senator Tsongas and ten co-sponsors Most of the writing, debate and testimony on National Ser- have introduced a bill to establish a national commission "to vice has taken place at a rather abstract and philosophical examine the need and the desirability and feasibility of estab- level, e.g., what are the reciprocal rights and obligations of lishing a comprehensive national service program to meet a the citizen and the state in a democracy? Is National Service broad range of national and local needs." Hearings were held forced labor or a right and obligation of citizenship? Without in 1979 and 1980. , in any way derogating these issues, this paper asks whether, Meanwhile, advocates of social programs for youth have assuming National Service is desirable in principle, it is also taken up the National Service banner. Most notable is the feasible? Could a large scale,National Service program work of the Committee for the Study of National Service, which actually be implemented? What would young people do? How released its report, Youth and the Needs of the Nation in would they be integrated into new and existing programs. What February, 1979.11 That Report sounded a ringing endoresement impact would they have on the agencies in which they serve? for a large-scale voluntary National Service System. And later in 1979, a Washington conference sponsored by the same group attracted two-hundred fifty participants who reached an over- whelming consensus that voluntary National Service is neces- My intent is to explore the implications of ~ationalSer- sary, desirable and feasible.12 vice for the institution I know best--the American prison. Both Donald Eberley and Morris Janowitz have included working in corrections in their National Service plans.13 So has Con- gressman McCloskey in the rather elaborate program he has offered for enactment into law. This is not surprising. The of the total 18-year-old cohort and roughly equivalent to 20% United States continues to require a more effective and more of all correctional personnel currently serving in correc- humane system oE law enforcement. tions.16 How could these young men and women be deployed? Corrections is a particularly appropriate agency for Although some versions of National Service might make it National Service participants; it is highly labor intensive and possible to enter National Service after college, it is far has a long tradition of accepting and even seeking volun- more likely that participation will be expected immediately teers.14 Whether duc to a romanticization of criminals or after high school, or in the case of those who do not complete religious sentiments about raising the fallen, prisons have high school, at age seventeen or eighteen. Young people over- always had ample numbers (some would say an excess) of idealis- whelmingly will enter National Service without any particular tic volunteers. Volunteer programs on drug and alcohol abuse, skills relevant to corrections, except perhaps for a limited community service, career counseling, and religious instruction number who can serve as office clerks, typists, and educational are commonplace in prisons and jails. For example, the famous assistants. PACE at Chicago's cook County Jail allows several dozen This is not necessarily disadvantageous for corrections volunteers to tutor and counsel prisoners several nights per where the greatest manpower deficiency is in the uniformed week.