NCJ Number
224582
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 88 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2008 Pages: 404-422
Date Published
September 2008
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This Australian study examined whether closed-circuit television (CCTV) had a greater preventive effect on nonviolent than on violent inmate misconduct and whether CCTV had a greater preventive effect on planned than on unplanned violent behavior.
Abstract
The study found that CCTV had a greater effect on nonviolent than violent inmate misconduct and that camera surveillance prevented planned violence to a greater extent than unplanned violence. Nonviolent inmate misconduct occurred more often in locations that were not under camera surveillance; whereas, violent behavior was more randomly distributed. Escape and inmate-on-officer threats or verbal abuse were also more randomly distributed in locations with and without camera surveillance; however, there were few escapes that by their very nature would involve CCTV surveillance; and inmate-on-officer threats or verbal abuse might have occurred spontaneously or in the heat of the moment. In addition, planned inmate-on-inmate assaults occurred most often in locations that were not under camera surveillance; whereas, unplanned assaults were more randomly distributed. The findings suggest that strategies for preventing unplanned violent behavior by inmates should address factors in the environment that precipitate such behavior. Such strategies should be used in combination with measures aimed at reducing opportunities for misconduct. Data were obtained on the 1,116 incidents of inmate misconduct that occurred at 4 prisons in Queensland, Australia, during a 6-year period. Misconduct consisted of any significant event in the prison, including breaches of laws or rules that might result in criminal prosecution or breach hearings and emergencies. The descriptions of the locations where the misconduct occurred were coded as “under camera surveillance,” “not under camera surveillance,” or “unknown,” based on physical audits of the four prisons. 4 tables and 99 references