NCJ Number
9164
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 36 Issue: 3 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1972) Pages: 3-7
Date Published
1972
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE AUTHOR CLASSIFIES PRISON DISTURBANCES INTO THREE CATEGORIES - MASS ESCAPE, RIOT, AND EXPRESSIVE MUTINY AND PLACES ATTICA INTO THE THIRD RATHER THAN THE SECOND.
Abstract
UNLIKE THE RIOT, THE EXPRESSIVE MUTINY IS NOT PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON WINNING POWER, MAINTAINING PRIVILEGES, OR IMPROVING CONDITIONS WITHIN THE PRISON. IT AIMS TO COMMUNICATE THE INMATE'S PLIGHT TO THE PUBLIC SO FAR AS HE UNDERSTANDS IT. BRUTAL CONDITIONS WERE NOT THE CAUSE OF THE DISTURBANCES AT ATTICA, BUT RATHER DISINTEGRATION OF DISCIPLINE AND THE HOPE AROUSED BY NEW REFORM IN THE NEW YORK PRISON SYSTEM. HE CONCLUDES THAT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR AT ATTICA MILITANT INMATE LEADERSHIP, ECSTATIC SOLIDARITY, MAGICAL THINKING, SOCIAL BLUFF - INDICATE THAT THE INNER, AUTONOMOUS PROCESS OF THE PRISON IS A MYTH. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)