NCJ Number
64454
Date Published
1978
Length
37 pages
Annotation
THE ETIOLOGY OF PRISON VIOLENCE, BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE, IS EXPLORED AND ILLUSTRATED WITH EXAMPLES DERIVED FROM RECENT MEXICAN HISTORY.
Abstract
THE MOST FREQUENTLY OBSERVED FORMS OF PRISON VIOLENCE ARE ORGANIZED INMATE RESISTANCE, PRISON RIOTS, VIOLENCE OF INMATES AGAINST FELLOW INMATES, BRUTALIZATION OF INMATES BY GUARDS, AND THE VIOLENCE CAUSED BY OR ATTENDANT UPON PRISON ESCAPES. THE LATTER, WHICH OFTEN OCCUR WITH THE COMPLICITY OF CORRUPT PRISON EMPLOYEES, AFFECT THE ENTIRE INMATE POPULATION (WITH RESTLESSNESS, ANXIETY, FEAR OF COLLECTIVE REPRISALS) AND THE PRISON AUTHORITIES, WHOSE OVERREACTION OFTEN TRIGGERS FURTHER VIOLENCE. ORGANIZED INMATE RESISTANCE MAY START IN A PASSIVE FORM, BUT INEVITABLY RESULTS IN VIOLENCE; IN THESE CASES, GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS ARE OFTEN PSYCHOPATHIC PERSONALITIES, POLITICAL ACTIVISTS, AND FOREIGN (AMERICAN) INMATES, WHO FREQUENTLY JOIN FORCES TO DRAMATIZE REAL OR IMAGINARY GRIEVANCES AND TO BACK UP OFTEN IMPOSSIBLE DEMANDS. HUNGER STRIKES (OFTEN FEIGNED BY INMATES WHO HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD PROVISIONS) ARE A FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED FORM OF PASSIVE RESISTANCE. THE MOST DRAMATIC FORM OF COLLECTIVE PRISON VIOLENCE IS THE PRISON UPRISING, WHICH IS FUELED BY MEDIA ATTENTION OR THE EXPECTATION OF IT ON THE PART OF THE RINGLEADERS. THIS TYPE OF EVENT INVOLVES THE INMATES' FAMILIES, THE POPULATION AT LARGE, POLITICIANS, AND GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES. PRISON DISORDERS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED MOST FREQUENTLY AMONG INMATES AWAITING TRIAL OR DURING TRIAL, OR WHENEVER TRANSFERS AND CHANGES, EVEN THOSE PROMISING IMPROVEMENTS, ARE EXPECTED. REGARDLESS OF THE IMMEDIATE OCCASION TRIGGERING A DISORDER, THE UNDERLYING CAUSES ARE PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT IN OBSOLETE OR POORLY MANAGED FACILITIES; EVEN PROGRESSIVE AND WELL RUN INSTITUTIONS ARE NOT IMMUNE TO VIOLENCE AND DISORDERS, ALTHOUGH THE INCIDENCE OF PRISON VIOLENCE APPEARS TO DECREASE IN DIRECT RATIO TO THE HUMANE AND TREATMENT-ORIENTED QUALITY OF CORRECTIONS. LESS OVERT FORMS OF INTERNAL VIOLENCE INVOLVE VIOLENCE OF INMATES AGAINST FELLOW INMATES, FREQUENTLY SEXUALLY MOTIVATED, MISTREATMENT OF PRISONERS BY GUARDS OR TRUSTEES ACTING AS GUARDS, AND, INFREQUENT ASSAULTS (DURING RIOTS AND DISORDERS) BY INMATES AGAINST CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL. CASE HISTORIES OFFER ADDITIONAL DETAILS. OPINIONS ON THE NATURE OF VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION ARE APPENDED. --IN SPANISH. (LGR).