PRISON VIOLENCE AND FORMAL ORGANIZATIONS (FROM PRISON VIOLENCE, 1976, BY ALBERT COHEN, GEORGE COLE, ROBERT BAILEY - SEE NCJ-36045)

• NCJ Number: 36047
• Author(s): J B JACOBS
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: Lexington Books
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT CONFERENCE COSPONSORED BY CORRECTIONS PROGRAM - UNIV OF CONNECTICUT AND CONNECTICUT DEPT OF CORRECTION, MAY 30 - JUNE 1, 1975, DURHAM, NH

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE PROPOSES THAT PRISON VIOLENCE MAY BE REDUCED BY IMPROVING PRISON MANAGEMENT SO THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRISON VIOLENCE (LOCATION AND HARDWARE) ARE DIMINISHED.

Abstract

THE AUTHOR ARGUES THAT THE PRISON STAFF HAS THE PARAMOUNT RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT INMATES FROM ONE ANOTHER. IN ORDER TO REDUCE VIOLENCE, HE CONTENDS THAT MANAGEMENT MUST BE MORE SOPHISTICATED, RATIONAL, SYSTEMATIC, AND THOROUGH. NOTING THAT PRISON VIOLENCE IS OFTEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE VIOLENCE PRONENESS OF INMATES, THE PRESENCE OF TROUBLEMAKERS, AND THE PRISON CONDITIONS, THE AUTHOR ARGUES THAT A MORE FRUITFUL APPROACH MAY BE TO INVESTIGATE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIOLENCE. HE CALLS FOR THE COLLECTION OF SYSTEMATIC STATISTICS ON PRISON VIOLENCE SO THAT PATTERNS IN THE LOCATIONS, TIMES, TYPES OF VICTIMS, TYPES OF OFFENDER, AND MOST COMMON TYPE OF WEAPON MAY BE DETERMINED. SUCH STATISTICS WOULD ALLOW PRISON MANAGEMENT TO IDENTIFY AREAS IN NEED OF IMPROVEMENT AND TO ELIMINATE THE CONDITIONS (SUCH AS LOOSE SCRAP METAL IN PRISON SHOPS OR UNSUPERVISED AREAS) WHICH PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PRISON VIOLENCE. SEE ALSO NCJ 36051, 36054.