ON MAINTAINING ORDER WITHOUT LEGITIMACY - THE ISSUE OF HOSTAGE-TAKING IN CANADIAN PRISONS (FROM LAW AND SOCIAL CONTROL IN CANADA, 1978, BY WILLIAM K GREENAWAY AND STEPHEN L BRICKEY - SEE NCJ-63130)

• NCJ Number: 63134
• Author(s): S L BRICKEY; R KUENEMAN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: Prentice-Hall Canada, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

THIS CANADIAN ARTICLE EXPLAINS THE SOCIOLOGICAL REASONS BEHIND COLLECTIVE PRISON DISTURBANCES SUCH AS HOSTAGE-TAKING AND SUGGESTS ALTERNATIVES TO ALLEVIATE THESE PROBLEMS.

Abstract

PRISON DISTURBANCES HAVE MORE TO DO WITH THE STRUCTURE OF THE SOCIAL SPACE AND LIFE OF A PRISON WITH THE INTERNAL PREDISPOSITIONS OF INMATES. INMATES ENGAGE IN DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR BECAUSE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES USED IN THE PRISON SYSTEM MAKE SUCH DISTURBANCES THE ONLY SUCCESSFUL MEANS OF AIRING INMATE GRIEVANCES. COUPLED WITH THE LOW LEGITIMACY GRANTED BY PRISONERS TO PRISON PERSONNEL IS THE PRISONERS' SMOULDERING SENSE OF THE INJUSTICE OF LIFE IN A TOTAL INSTITUTION. THESE FACTORS LEAD TO PRISONERS' ATTEMPTS TO DEVISE STRATEGIES FOR AMELIORATING THEIR CONDITION; I.E., TAKING HOSTAGES AND FORCEFULLY DEMANDING CHANGES. ALTERNATIVES FOR PRISON MANAGEMENT INCLUDE RESTRUCTURING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE INMATES AND THE PRISON SYSTEM TO PROVIDE INMATES ACCESS TO POWER IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY, PROMOTE, AND PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS WITH RIGHTS SO THAT INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS CAN FORMULATE AND SEEK REDRESS FOR GRIEVANCES. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AVENUES TO REDRESS GRIEVANCES WOULD HELP INMATES OVERCOME THEIR FEELINGS OF DESPERATION AND HELPLESSNESS AND LESSEN SOME OF THE BASIC INEQUITIES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. REFERENCES ARE GIVEN. (MJW)