Hunger Strike In Prisons

A large number of prisoners go on a hunger strike in response to complaints by some inmates about their deprivation of rights by being placed in administrative segregated housing units. A spokespersons for inmates say that many inmates are willing to sacrifice their health and safety to stop the harsh segregation policies. The inmates refuse to eat, work assignments, leave cell, nor exercise. Prison officials claim that the hunger strike is a ploy by powerful prison gangs to increase their influence behind the walls. They claim that inmates are still eating food brought in the prison commissary and no one is at great risk. The corrections staff claim that current segregation policies are necessary to protest the safety of inmates and staff. The prison states that to give
in to inmates demands for a change will only undermine the authority of correctional officers and could lead to more violence. Prison officials ask the courts to allow them to engage in force feeding of convicts who are facing imminent threat of death or serious health problems. So now the prison is face with question do you negotiate with the striking inmates or their spokespersons to resolve the protest? As a director of corrections you how to keep a lot in mind when dealing with a situation of this matter. First thing first I feel in a situation where someone is trying to gang power over another you should never negotiate with them you want win it will become a slipper slop, however, as the director it is still my job to keep everything in order which mainly includes the inmates. So with this situation I would approach it with a bend but don’t break method. So the fact that I am not willing to negotiate with the inmates doesn’t mean I stop listening to them they are people just like everybody else and they also have problems as well as needs and wants. This is what I would do I will listening to their needs and wants along with a hand pick board of correctional officers and we will come up with the best idea for the safety for all parties involved. Because, I feel as the director of corrections it’s my job to maintain order throughout the prison. This situation is almost like being a parent just because one of your children cries and get mad about whatever the case maybe if it has an effect on another child you can’t just do what that child wants. Because the outcome will effect someone else and as a parent you don’t negotiate with your child what you do is step into the role of responsibility and make the best decision for everyone involved.
So that is what I would do here so I would come up with a reward to award the go behavior inmates so that want get caught up in the mix. As fair the bad inmates I would try to work with them on their time in administrative segregated housing units because that isn’t something that’s going to go away. It has been put in place for a reason and if the inmates do what they’re ask to do and have good behavior they have no worries. In conclusion, as the director it’s my job to keep everything in check and everybody safe so at the end of the day I how to do that job and as I stated once before segregation policies are necessary to protest the safety of inmates and staff. An no one will be put in segregation unless there is a reason or need too. So I will listening to their needs and wants and make the best decision for the prison, because if I give them what they want now they will lose respect for me and this will become a slipper slop and every time they have a need or want we will be back in this
situation.