Prison Riots
Management positions in prisons are known to be very demanding. Correctional facilities are difficult to operate and are forced to deal with overcrowding which leads to an outnumbered staff and a continuous flow of violent and dangerous inmates. An issue that management faces is the occurrence of riots. According to dictionary.com, a riot is a disturbance of the public peace by three or more persons acting together in a disrupting and tumultuous manner in carrying out their private purposes. Some riots are characterized by organization and demands, others by weak and confused formation of leadership, or conflict and violence among inmates themselves. In some riots, prisoners inflict suffering on hostages, inmates treat hostages well, or in others no hostages are taken. Effective and efficient management is needed most in times of riots and emergency situations. In order to diminish riots within correctional facilities and reduce the violence amongst inmates and staff, management must have clear policies and procedures, open lines of communication, fair inmate disciplinary process, and ability to hire and retain quality staff.
A prison riot has a domino effect to it, in that once a few inmates start rioting, everyone who can, will. Every inmate is upset over something whether it’s the way they’re treated, overcrowding, poor living conditions, or just because they’re in prison. A major, if not the most important, reason for the increasing number of riots taking place in prisons today. Overcrowding, which began in the 1970s and 1980s, is adding fuel to an already blazing fire. California, the nation’s largest prison system, has seen its inmate population eightfold since 1970 (Dungan). Prison is not a comfortable, enjoyable place to be especially if you have to share a space that is already too small for you. Studies have shown that overcrowding adds a level of discomfort and irritability to inmates, which increases the destructive quality that is associated
A prison riot has a domino effect to it, in that once a few inmates start rioting, everyone who can, will. Every inmate is upset over something whether it’s the way they’re treated, overcrowding, poor living conditions, or just because they’re in prison. A major, if not the most important, reason for the increasing number of riots taking place in prisons today. Overcrowding, which began in the 1970s and 1980s, is adding fuel to an already blazing fire. California, the nation’s largest prison system, has seen its inmate population eightfold since 1970 (Dungan). Prison is not a comfortable, enjoyable place to be especially if you have to share a space that is already too small for you. Studies have shown that overcrowding adds a level of discomfort and irritability to inmates, which increases the destructive quality that is associated
Cited: Blackwell, Jon. "1952: The powder keg blows." The Trentonian. <http://www.capitalcentury.com/1952.html>. Dungan, Fred. "California 's Overcrowded Prisons." 1 Nov 2008 <http://www.fdungan.com/prison.htm>. "Massacre at Attica Prison." History Channel. 2 Nov 2008 <http://www.history.com/this-day-in- history.do?action=Article&id=5342>. Morris, Roger. The New Mexico Prison Uprising. <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A02E6DD133BF935A15751C0A9629 48260>.