NCJ Number
60345
Date Published
1978
Length
0 pages
Annotation
TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCES OF DINING ROOM DISTURBANCES IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, THIS FILM IDENTIFIES THE CAUSES OF SUCH DISTURBANCES AND THE METHODS OFFICERS CAN USE TO ELIMINATE THESE CAUSES.
Abstract
MORE INMATE DISTURBANCES HAVE STARTED IN DINING ROOMS THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS BECAUSE INMATES GATHER IN LARGE NUMBERS DURING MEALTIME, DINING IS A SOCIAL OCCASION WHEN EMOTIONS ARE LOOSENED, PEER PRESSURE CAN INFLATE A MINOR DISCOURTESY TO A MAJOR DISTURBANCE, AND THERE ARE BUILT-IN FRUSTRATIONS TO INSTITUTIONAL DINING. KEEPING IN MIND TWO RULES--STAYING ALERT AND WATCHING FOR THE UNUSUAL--CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS SHOULD MONITOR THE QUALITY OF FOOD AND HOW IT IS SERVED, MAINTAIN THE ORDERLY FLOW OF INMATES THROUGH THE MEAL LINE, ADHERE TO THE TIME SET FOR MEALTIMES, AND PROPERLY SUPERVISE THE DINING AREA TO REACT QUICKLY IN AN EMERGENCY. IN ADDITION, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS SHOULD STAY ALERT TO INDICATORS OF INMATE BEHAVIOR WHICH MIGHT SIGNAL A PLANNED DISTURBANCE: ATMOSPHERE BECOMES QUIET, INMATES ARE NOT EATING OR ARE LEAVING A LARGE AMOUNT ON THEIR TRAYS, AND THERE IS LESS OVERLAPPING BETWEEN RIVAL OR ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE DINING AREA. THE OFFICER SHOULD ALSO GUARD AGAINST BECOMING THE CAUSE OF A DISTURBANCE OR BECOMING TRAPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN OUTBREAK OF VIOLENCE. INMATES SHOULD BE OBSERVED RECEIVING FOOD TO ENSURE THAT SOME INMATES ARE NOT GETTING MORE FOOD THAN OTHERS AND TO PREVENT INMATES FROM STEALING EATING UTENSILS TO REFORGE AS WEAPONS. CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS SHOULD INVESTIGATE INMATE COMPLAINTS ABOUT FOOD OR SERVICE SINCE MEALTIME IN A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY TAKES ON A GREATER SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE INMATES THAN IT MIGHT IN FREE SOCIETY; INMATES ENJOY ANY ACTIVITY THAT TAKES THEM FROM THEIR CELLS AND BREAKS THE MONOTONY OF INCARCERATION.