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Essay Subject: Analyzes three riots (Attica, Sante Fe, Lucasville) for causes, responses, effects & clues to prevention or control.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Analyzes three riots (Attica, Sante Fe, Lucasville) for causes, responses, effects & clues to prevention or control. Paper Introduction: How Riots in Prison Can Be Prevented and Controlled An analysis of the three most notorious riots in the US shows differences in the revolts but also reveals significant similarities in the conditions that helped triggered the riots. This could help control and perhaps prevent riots in the future. Prison riots involve a seizure of control, violence, and inmate demands for changes in the prison. Since the first prison riot in the United States in 1774, some 300 prison riots have been reported in this country in the past two centuries (Fox, 1972). Not surprisingly, prison inmates stage disturbances and riots and take hostages to air grievances. These disturbances and riots often erupt as acts of desperation among inmate leaders who have come to believe that it is a last resort to get a hearing from prison officials, policy makers, and the public about unfair Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Montgomery (Eds.), Prison violence in America. Twelve officers were held hostage, one of whom was killed byinmates. The following is not an exhaustive list oforiginating and precipitating factors in prison riots, but it doessummarize some of the notable parallels in the three riots studied. (1985, August 12). He described a conflict between the punitiveideology, which encourages tight controls with the viewpoint that prisonsare deterrents and necessary for the protection of society, and the radicalideology, which encourages the least control possible with the viewpointthat prisons are unnecessarily oppressive, discriminatory, and vengeful.Surette (1992) points out that the punitive ideology is a likely result ofsensationalistic and shocking news media coverage of personal violence,such as is the case in a riot. Each prisonshared common conditions that played a part in triggering the riots, butthere were also unique circumstances that differentiate the three. (c) Prison officials also need effective spokespersons who caninspire public confidence in the authorities. The uprising at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility at Lucasvillebroke out on Easter Sunday, April 11, 1993, and the siege lasted 11 days(McCarty, 1993). Oswald, R. (1979). (1988). Causes, preventivemeasures, and methods of controlling riots and disturbances in correctionalinstitutions. Albuquerque Journal Magazine, pp. Pacific Grove,CA: Brooks/Cole. College Park, MD: Author. Unfortunately, thisdoes not really answer how to prevent riots entirely. The riot erupted when officers left a security gate openas they were closing down for the night. Porporino, F. Serrill, M., & Katel, P. Impact: Correctingcorrections. In general, studies have concluded that overcrowding is the mostsignificant organizational precondition for riots. Spokespersons are valuableresources who must be included in advanced planning. Perceptions of crowding, racial antagonism, andaggression in a custodial prison. It began in a dormitory thathoused high-risk inmates. This seems to be theonly way of preventing riots. Twelve officers were taken as hostages, and 33inmates were killed by their fellow inmates. Crisis planning and preparation thenwill have become a routine task of prison management. history, they also demonstratechanges over time. There were manyelements that were well thought out in advance, but the actual uprisingsdepended on taking advantage of opportunities and circumstances as theycame up.* Racial and ethnic conflicts were well documented at the three prisons;the conflicts existed between inmates, between inmates and prison staff,and between inmates and those living in surrounding communities.* Inmates at each prison expressed high levels of frustration anddesperation. The most commonenvironments for inmate violence against officers and themselves are inhigh-security-level and disciplinary or segregation units. (1988). Media, crime & criminal justice. Remembering Attica. From an organizational perspective, DiIulio (1987) found that prisonriots were a response to control: usually not too much control but adangerous lack of it. Since 1971, the uprising at Attica has served as a grim reminder thatprisons - especially overcrowded, maximum security facilities with inmateand staff problems - are ripe for disturbances that may turn into full-blown riots. Journal of Correctional Education, 36, 15-2 . Surette, R. Mahan, S. New York: Doubleday. prisons. (1991). 93. No hostages died, and no one was killed in the assault totake back the prison. Programs and amenities, such as exercise facilities andtelevision, which help to reduce tension levels and aid prison staff incontrolling a potentially violent prison community, are no longer provided. (1986). Adequate use of thesethree resources - equipment, information, and trained personnel - make itpossible to establish a balance between too much and too little access toinformation (Smith, 199 ). Researchers must look to otherconditions for a better explanation of riot preconditions (Eckland-Olson,1986). There were at least 2, inmates being heldin the facility that had a stated capacity of 1,2 (166% of capacity).Thirty-eight officers were taken hostage, and the facility suffered $3million in damage. The experience ofcorrections officers is also believed to explain some prison violence, inthat less-experienced officers are most likely to be assaulted by youngerinmates who were first convicted at an early age (Kratcoski, 1988).Situational factors that have been examined in relation to prison riotsinclude the location, time of day, and prior inmate involvement in prisonviolence (Kratcoski, 1988; Porporino, 1986; Steinke, 1991). (1972). Prison riots in a democratic society. (1994). Clark, R. The effects of density on jail assaults. It may be seen as an"interactive variable" - sometimes causing, sometimes the result, and oftenexacerbating the impact of other conditions and practices. Approximately 1,136 men werehoused in an institution designed for 9 (Remembering, 1991). Although the riots do not have the exact same spark thatignited the violence, it is also possible to examine similarities anddifferences in precipitating factors of the riots. How Riots in Prison Can Be Prevented and Controlled An analysis of the three most notorious riots in the US showsdifferences in the revolts but also reveals significant similarities in theconditions that helped triggered the riots.This could help control and perhaps prevent riots in the future. They housedinmates with the highest security levels and were end-of-the-line, "maxi-maxi" facilities.* The prisons were large, overcrowded institutions, holding more than 1, prisoners, often housing high-security-level inmates in less than highlysecure conditions.* Inadequate and ineffective classification schemes made it impossible foradministrators to transfer problem or special-needs inmates to otherfacilities.* Inmates were idle most of the time due to a lack of meaningfuleducational and recreational programs.* Power struggles existed at each prison between upper-level management andline staff.* Role conflicts were common among the prison staff, pitting those whoemphasized control and custody goals against those who emphasized casemanagement and treatment.* Disciplinary procedures were a source of conflict in the prisons; nosystematic procedures to resolve inmate grievances were being followed.* There had been complaints of harassment and brutality toward inmates atall three prisons just prior to the riots.* Mentally ill inmates were not handled appropriately and were disruptiveto prison routine.* The prisons had no adequate plans for riots and other emergencies.* Many of the corrections officers were poorly trained and ill-prepared fortheir duties. 2, p. Prisoners took over the New Mexico State Prison in Santa Fe in theearly hours of February 2, 198 , and the riot lasted 36 hours (Lupsha andMiler, 1981). London: Routledge & KeganPaul. New York: Links. Lawrence, R. At the level of organization, authorities seemed to be agreed tothree fundamental resources for riot control: (a) Prison plans must providefor adequate technical and professional apparatus to expeditecommunication. American prisons in turmoil: Hearings by the Select Committee onCrime, 92nd Cong., 1/4C 86/3: pt. Surette, R., & Richard, A. Dayton DailyNews. Wewill remain strong until we either negotiate this to our liking or theywill kill us," declared a Lucasville inmate. There really is no definitive way to prevent prison riots. Social scientists tend to have an organizational bias, preferring tolook for patterns and systemic explanations. Goodgame, D. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 17, 119-132. Prisoners: Individual Factors* Incoming inmates to the prisons were said to be a "new breed" and "moreviolent."* The riots were considered both planned and spontaneous. Irrespective of other factorsand despite the range of negative consequences from overcrowding, riots arenot everyday occurrences in U.S. Lupsha, P., & Miler, G. (198 , April). The incident that immediately precipitatedthe riot was a lockdown following a poorly handled disciplinary actionagainst inmates in a part of the prison considered to be under the mosttension. Thesedisturbances and riots often erupt as acts of desperation among inmateleaders who have come to believe that it is a last resort to get a hearingfrom prison officials, policy makers, and the public about unfair policiesor deplorable conditions in prisons. (b) Prisonofficials must make prompt, substantial information - for all agencies andto the media - a high priority. (2 th anniversary of the Attica prison uprising)(1991, September 16). (1992). They were prepared to die to get the respect they weredemanding: "We're not going to bow down. Effectivecommunication with inmates, first-class training of officers, carefullymaintained security, and diverse inmate programs can be barriers to rioteruptions. Sechrest, D. From the evidence so prevalently available it is safe tounderstand the complex psychology behind the possible truth thatadministrators need to recognize that placing undue emphasis on crisisplanning can result in a "self-fulfilling prophecy." Staff and inmates mayboth react to overemphasis on disturbance planning as a sign that problemsare anticipated. Crowding, social control, and prisonviolence. The prison at Santa Fe was filledbeyond capacity at the time of the 198 riot. Large, crowded institutions are ripe for rioting, and thisincludes most American prisons today. Nine inmate deaths resulted from attacks by other inmates, but noprisoners were injured by authorities in the takeover of the prison. Studying the structures,policies, and systems in place at Attica, Santa Fe, and Lucasville helpedto uncover the long-standing elements that contributed to the riots.However, a more complex explanation explores prison riots as bothpredictable, idiosyncratic and endemic. Smith, G. (Eds.). Braswell, M., Dillingham, S., & Montgomery, R. The 1993 riot at the Southern OhioCorrectional Facility in Lucasville was the longest prison takeover in thiscountry. The most commonenvironments for violence against other inmates are settings such as dayrooms, prison yards, or similar areas where inmates are congregating butare not engaged in structured activities. Journal of Criminal Justice, 16, 167-181. With this in mind, it is crucial thatprison management focus on control of inmates once riots break out, andperhaps even control of inmates in such away as to quell the urges thatlead to riot. Riot prevention is not soeasily solved. (1991). Jail educational programs: Helping inmates copewith overcrowded conditions. This is no easy task. Cincinnati, OH: Anderson. Thefactors have been organized into two categories: (a) prison structural-organizational factors, (b) prisoner-individual factors. In M. At the time of the riot, 1,136 inmates were beingheld in a facility designed for 9 (126% of capacity). (1985).Prison violence in America. Many of the problems exist because of the unrealistic demandsplaced on prisons to house more offenders for longer periods of timewithout adequate funds to recruit and train qualified prison staff. Security lapses had been common throughout the prison, makinga takeover likely. prison history. In this way at least, the first part of thethesis is answered: Riots in prison have enough common elements that somecontrol factors can be applied to all of them. (1972). Unpublished paper, FloridaInternational University.----------------------- 15 D. New Mexico: The anatomy of ariot. Ten of the dead werehostages, and 29 were inmates. Thismight lead us to ways in which riots can be prevented and controlled. Despite the incidents that madeeach riot unique, there were common elements among them that made themsimilar to countless others as well as to each other. These three prison riots are compared and studied because theyrepresent not only the deadliest and longest prison riots in U.S. Researchers haveshown the relationship of overcrowding to idleness and lack of programs(Goodgame, 1985; Mahan, 1985). The approximatedamage to the prison facility totaled $28.5 million (Serrill and Katel,198 ). Attica, my story. At the time of the riot, there were 1,82 inmates held inthe prison that had a stated capacity of 1,6 9 (113% of capacity). An "orgy of brutality" at Attica and the "killingground" at Santa Fe: A comparison of prison riots. prisons. Combating terrorism. Mayhem in the cellblocks. Prison Structural-Organizational Factors* Urban offenders were being held in rural settings with little connectionsto homes or families.* The prisons were considered the "toughest" in the state. Despite the deadly reminder of Attica, problems persist inAmerican prisons, posing daily risks and hazards to prison staff andinmates. (1986). These twocategories of factors represent the most comprehensive way in viewing theendemic causes of prison riots regardless of time or place. Corrections Magazine, 6-16, 2 -24. (1993, June 6). Eckland-Olson, S. Study of the Attica, Santa Fe, and Lucasville riots reveals strikingsimilarities in origins and conditions leading up to the uprisings,conditions that have persisted with very little change over the past threedecades in most U.S. Using situational factors to predict types ofprison violence. Steinke, P. Prisonriots involve a seizure of control, violence, and inmate demands forchanges in the prison. Law and Society Review, 2 , 389-42 . Public information officers: Adescriptive study of crime news gatekeepers. Difficult as the attainment of "routine goals"appears to be there might be little organizational capacity for solvingadditional dilemmas and performing additional resource-consuming tasks.Still, the potential benefits of effective crisis management are immense.An increased awareness among practitioners and theorists of the promisesand possible unintended consequences of crisis planning and preparationmight eventually make for the incorporation of crisis management as anintegral feature of prison management. Information is a most valuable resource,and plans for its use must be fair and open if media cooperation is to beexpected. McCarty, M., Beyerlein, T., Flynn, A., Miller, T, Reed, C., Rollins,R., & Theis, S. Leger, R. Police, 16, 33-41. The cost of damages to the facility was estimated to be$15 million. Cincinnati,OH: Anderson. Leger (1988) notes that racialantagonism among inmates is often related to prison violence, and othershave considered various characteristics of inmates such as age or criminalhistory (Kratcoski, 1988) or inmates' family experiences and personal goals(Sechrest, 1991) to explain violence-prone inmates. These three riots havebeen selected to illustrate the origins and circumstances of prison riots.Having occurred over three decades in U.S. News & World Report, p. Thus prison administrators will have to find an equilibrium betweenprison routines on the one hand and preparation and planning efforts on theother. This study tends tolead to the idea that rioting is almost embedded, and very much endemic, inthe idea of prison itself. After riots like New Mexico and Atticashook the criminal justice community, corrections practitioners began totake stock of lessons they could learn to help prevent similar tragediesfrom occurring. It may also be interpreted as a signal that theadministration is weak and unable to properly manage the institution. (1973). 4-13. Braswell, SDillingham, & R. The inmates at the Attica prison began rioting on September 9, 1971,and the siege lasted 5 days. Since the first prison riot in the United States in1774, some 3 prison riots have been reported in this country in the pasttwo centuries (Fox, 1972). Two of the deadliest prison riots in American history occurred at theNew York correctional facility in Attica in 1971 and at the New Mexicostate prison in Santa Fe in 198 . Thegrowing trend toward more punitive rather than rehabilitative approachesalso contributes to the tense conditions in prison. The most horrible brutalitywas reserved for "snitches" who had been given special treatment by prisonofficials in return for informing on other inmates either in court, insideprison, or both. Also related to overcrowding is a breakdownof the classification system, depletion of resources, lack of space forclassrooms or recreation, and a general buildup of tension in prisons(American Correctional Association [ACA], 199 ). The brothers at Attica. (1985). Inept handling of security details was a factor thattriggered each of the riots.* Administrative changes had led to periods of extreme tension just beforethe riots broke out; most employees had recognized warning signs andindications of trouble that gave clear signals that crises were imminent.* Officials responded to tensions with ill-designed efforts meant totighten controls. The implications of research explaining prisonviolence and disruption. historybut also span three decades and occurred in three different regions of thecountry, thus offering an opportunity for multiple comparisons. During the uprising, three inmates were slain by otherinmates under circumstances that remain unclear, and one hostage waskilled. Managing violent individuals in correctionalsettings. Early reports that the hostage died when thrown from a second-floorwindow proved false, and later reports claiming he was "beaten to death"left the perpetrators unknown. Time, p.2 . (1987). Prison riots have been investigated from a number of perspectives.Braswell, Dillingham, and Montgomery (1985) suggest that the origins andconditions for riots fall into one of four categories: (a) inmatesolidarity in the face of authority; (b) racial, political, and ideologicaltensions; (c) unmet inmate expectations for changes; and (d) organizationalconflicts over basic goals for prison. New York: Free Press. Federal Probation, 52, 57-62. Inmatesrebelled one day before a lockdown to force Black Muslim inmates to submitto TB skin testing. We are not going to give up. During the riot, media equipment and vehicles must notdominate the thoroughfares or be blocked from admittance. (199 ). Eleven days in Lucasville. Not surprisingly, prison inmates stagedisturbances and riots and take hostages to air grievances. Kratcoski, P. The 1993riot at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville is consideredthe longest prison takeover in the United States. The rest of the deaths, an additional 39,were from "overkill" when the prison was taken back with extreme force bythe state (American Prisons in Turmoil, 1979). Institutional programsand services that help inmates adjust to jail and prison life have been cut(Lawrence, 1985). Journalof Criminal Justice, 19, 211-223. Many prisons in the UnitedStates far exceed their capacities, and inmates are very often double ortriple celled or living in open dormitories. (1985). DiIulio, J., Jr. The prison riots at the Attica State Correctional Facility in NewYork in 1971 and at the New Mexico Penitentiary in Santa Fe in 198 areconsidered two of the most deadly riots in U.S. (1981, July 7). Finally, it appears to me that riots cannot be prevented in thepresent social/penal system, but they can be planned for and controlledupon eruption to minimize there impact and danger. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1, 213-237. U.S. Fox, V. (199 ). Since criminals arealready just that, criminals, it follows logically that penned up in badenough conditions they will riot. 16. References American Correctional Association (ACA). Governing prisons. Attempts to maximize control backfired when inmateserupted into violence and took control over the prison. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.