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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon

Time: 8:41 pm

Results for prison violence

55 results found

Author: U.S. National Prison Rape Elimination Commission

Title: National Prison Rape Elimination Commission Report

Summary: This final report of the the National Prison Rape Commission proposes standards to prevent, detect, respond to and monitor sexual abuse of incarcerated or detained individuals throughout the United States. Nine findings are discussed regarding the problems of sexual abuse in confinement and select policies and practices that must be mandatory everywhere to remedy these problems. Companion volumes include: Standards for the Prevention, Detention, Response, and Monitoring of Sexual Abuse in Adult Prisons and Jails; Standards for the Prevention, Detection, Response, and Monitoring of Standards for Sexual Abuse in Lockups; Standards for the Prevention, Detection, Response, and Monitoring of Sexual Abuse in Community Corrections; and Standards for the Prevention, Detection, Response, and Monitoring of Sexual Abuse in Juvenile Facilities.

Details: Washington, DC: National Prison Rape Elimination Commission, 2009. 259p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 115521

Keywords:
Inmates
Prison Rape
Prison Standards
Prison Violence
Prisoners, Abuse of

Author: Steels, Brian

Title: Predator or Prey? An Exploration of the Impact and Incidence of Sexual Assault in West Australian Prisons

Summary: This study set out to investigate the incidence and social implications of sexual assault within the West Australian prison system. One of the key aims was to gauge the levels of both reported and unreported sexual assault, questioning the prison authority's claim that prison rape is a rare occurrence.

Details: Perth: Murdoch University, Centre for Social & Community Research, 2009. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: Australia

URL:

Shelf Number: 117639

Keywords:
Inmates
Prison Rape ( West Australia)
Prison Violence
Sexual Assault

Author: Muntingh, Lukas

Title: Reducing Prison Violence: Implications from the Literature for South Africa

Summary: "Few would argue that prisons are violent places and South Africa is no exception. The consistently high number of deaths and complaints of assaults recorded by both the DCS and the JICS over several years indicate that violence is a “normal” feature of the South African prison system. Amongst all the strategic objectives towards transformation of the prison system and the distractions, the most important objective of any correctional system is to detain prisoners under safe and humane conditions. This, very explicitly, means that individuals, when imprisoned, must not only be safe but they must also feel safe. Regrettably this is not the case and thus the need for this paper to take a closer look at violence in South Africa’s prison system. This is done by reviewing the literature on prison violence to gain a deeper understanding of the problem and also to establish whether there have been any effective measures implemented elsewhere to reduce prison violence. Based on these a number of recommendations are made to improve prison safety in South Africa."

Details: Bellville, South Africa: Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative, 2009. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource; CSPRI Research Report No. 17

Year: 2009

Country: South Africa

URL:

Shelf Number: 119384

Keywords:
Inmates
Prison Administration
Prison Violence
Prisons (South Africa)

Author: Booz Allen Hamilton

Title: Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA): Cost Impact Analysis: Final Report

Summary: This document is the final report of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Cost Impact Analysis, an effort to assist the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) in the review of the standards published by the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission (NPREC) on June 23, 2009. This document assesses the costs specific to each standard, assesses variations within the cost estimates, and addresses a comprehensive view of implementation and compliance on a national level. It covers five sectors of correctional operations: state prison systems, state and local juvenile facilities, community corrections, and local/county jails, police lockups.

Details: McLean, VA: Booz Allen Hamilton, 2010. 414p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119513

Keywords:
Corrections
Inmate Sexual Assault
Priaon Rape
Prison Violence

Author: English, Kim

Title: Sexual Assault in Jail and Juvenile Facilities: Promising Practices for Prevention and Response: Final Report

Summary: Public Law 108-79, the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (also known as PREA), issued a call for correctional agencies nationwide to address prisoner sexual assault. This groundbreaking legislation required correctional administrators to identify, prevent, intervene and prosecute these incidents, and to ensure programs and services to meet the complex needs of victims and perpetrators. Soon after the passage of PREA, the National Institute of Justice sponsored several research activities to examine prisoner sexual assault within the culture of correctional institutions, within state department of corrections, and within jails and juvenile correctional facilities (the current project). This report presents the findings from a descriptive study of promising practices to prevent and respond to inmate-on-inmate sexual assault in jails and resident-on-resident sexual assault in juvenile correctional facilities, including a comprehensive literature review of institutional sexual assault which is included as Appendix A. Descriptive studies set the stage for more elaborate investigation later.

Details: Denver, CO: Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, Office of Research and Statistics, 2010. 356p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119518

Keywords:
Correctional Institutions
Jails
Prison Rape
Prison Violence
Prisoners
Sexual Assault

Author: Weber, Kasey R.

Title: Evaluation of the Colorado Department of Corrections' Prison Rape Elimination Program

Summary: The Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) implemented the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) program in 2005. Under this program the department has sought to educate staff and offenders, identify potential victims and predators, and employ procedures with which to respond to all sexual incidents involving inmates and staff. The present study aims to evaluate the implementation of the PREA program in the CEDOC and provide feedback about the current operations specifically identifying the strengths of the program as well as areas needing further attention.

Details: Colorado Springs, CO: Colorado Department of Corrections, Office of Planning and Analysis, 2009. 95p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2011 at: http://cospl.coalliance.org/fez/eserv/co:7587/cr11002r182009internet.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://cospl.coalliance.org/fez/eserv/co:7587/cr11002r182009internet.pdf

Shelf Number: 120765

Keywords:
Male Rape (Colorado)
Prison Rape
Prison Violence
Sexual Violence

Author: Oklahoma. Department of Corrections

Title: Homicides in Prison

Summary: Homicides of prison inmates have decreased dramatically in the last three decades and have consistently been lower per 100,000 population than the general population in recent years. Research into factors associated with inmate homicides has focused on the variables to be considered and/or examination of one or more of those variables. The research indicates that inmate homicides tend to be contextual and not the result of consistently identifiable and preventable influences. The recommended perspective on inmate homicide prevention depends on “the ability of prison administrators to exercise official authority effectively.”

Details: Oklahoma City, OK: Oklahoma Department of Corrections, 2009. 5p.

Source: Internet Resource: DOC White Paper: Accessed April 27, 2011 at: http://www.doc.state.ok.us/adminservices/ea/Homicides%20White%20Paper.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.doc.state.ok.us/adminservices/ea/Homicides%20White%20Paper.pdf

Shelf Number: 121512

Keywords:
Correctional Administration
Homicides
Prison Homicide (Oklahoma)
Prison Violence

Author: Reiter, Keramet

Title: Parole, Snitch, or Die: California’s Supermax Prisons & Prisoners, 1987-2007

Summary: Supermax prisons across the United States detain thousands in long-term solitary confinement, under conditions of extreme sensory deprivation. They are prisons within prisons, imprisoning those who allegedly cannot be controlled in a general population prison setting. Most supermaxes were built in a brief period, between the late 1980s and the late 1990s. In 1988 and 1989, California opened two of the first and largest of the modern supermaxes: Pelican Bay and Corcoran State Prisons. Today, California houses more than 3,300 prisoners in supermax conditions. Each month, between 50 and 100 people are released directly from these supermaxes onto parole. Using statistics obtained from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, this paper explores who these parolees are: what race are these prisoners, how long did they spend in solitary confinement, how frequently are they released, and how frequently are they returned to prison? These supermax-specific statistics are then compared with publicly available state statistics describing the overall race and return-to-prison rates of parolees in California, revealing that supermax prisoners are disproportionately Latinos who have served long prison sentences, under severe conditions. The potential effects of supermax confinement on levels of violence within supermax institutions and throughout the state prison system are also explored, through the lens of prisoner death and assault statistics; no conclusive data establish a direct relationship between supermaxes and reductions in violence. Analysis of interviews with correctional department administrators about the original goals and purposes of the supermaxes further contextualizes these data, revealing that supermaxes today function rather differently than their designers envisioned twenty years ago. In sum, this research provides one of the first evaluations of how supermaxes function, in terms of whom they detain and for how long, and how these patterns relate to their originally articulated purposes.

Details: Berkeley, CA: Institute for the Study of Social Change, University of California Berkeley, 2010. 65p.

Source: Internet Resource: ISSC Fellows Working Papers: Accessed July 26, 2011 at: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/04w6556f`

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/04w6556f`

Shelf Number: 122154

Keywords:
Gangs
Inmates
Parolees
Prison Violence
Prisoners
Recidivism
Solitary Confinement
Supermax Prisons (California)

Author: Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales

Title: Learning from PPO Investigations: Violence Reduction, Bullying and Safety

Summary: This report is focused on themes of violence, bullying and safety in custody. It has been produced as a result of the finding that 20 per cent of the PPO’s fatal incident investigations into self-inflicted deaths in custody have found evidence that the deceased was subject to bullying or intimidation by other prisoners in the three months prior to their death. This finding is placed within the wider context of violence in prisons, by exploring official statistics and considering prisoners’ own perceptions of safety. The national approach and local responses to violence in custody are then considered. Looking specifically at 42 self-inflicted death investigations, the PPO found that staff responses to allegations of bullying, assaults and other related incidents could have been better in 17 cases. The study found slightly higher proportions of self-harm history, mental health needs and suicide prevention measures at the time of death in cases where evidence of bullying or intimidation was found compared to cases where it was not. Whilst issues around bullying or intimidation by other prisoners were encountered more often in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) and women’s prisons, learning could be found across all functional types. Seven fatal incident investigations are summarised as case studies, with learning highlighted. The cases covered address specific themes including: • Dynamic security and collating security information about safety concerns • Implementation of local violence reduction strategies • Locating vulnerable prisoners • Approaching the subject of intimate relationships formed between prisoners • Abusive shouting through cell windows • Defining and investigating bullying • The learning identified is categorised into three groups: the importance of recording and sharing information, improving understanding of violence reduction and the importance of protecting prisoners at specific risk of victimisation.

Details: London: Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, 2011. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 18, 2011 at: http://iapdeathsincustody.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/PPO-Report-on-Violence-Reduction-Bullying-and-Safety-October-2011.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://iapdeathsincustody.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/PPO-Report-on-Violence-Reduction-Bullying-and-Safety-October-2011.pdf

Shelf Number: 123044

Keywords:
Deaths in Custody (U.K.)
Prison Violence
Prisoners

Author: U.S. Department of Justice. Review Panel on Prison Rape

Title: Report on Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails

Summary: This Report presents the findings of the Review Panel on Prison Rape (Panel), resulting from the hearings it held in Washington, DC, in the spring and fall of 2011, based on the national survey that the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) published in August 2010, Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails, Reported by Inmates, 2008-09. Under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, the Panel is responsible for holding public hearings to which it invites, relying on data from the BJS, two correctional institutions with a low prevalence of sexual victimization and three institutions with a high prevalence of sexual victimization. The purpose of the hearings is to identify the common characteristics of (1) sexual predators and victims, (2) correctional institutions with a low prevalence of sexual victimization, and (3) correctional institutions with a high prevalence of sexual victimization. In 2011, the Panel held two sets of hearings. In April of 2011, the hearings addressed federal and state prisons; in September of 2011, the hearings addressed local jails. Hearings on Prisons For the April 2011 hearings on prisons, the Panel invited the following five prisons to appear: (1) Low Incidence: Elkton Federal Correctional Institution, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Elkton, Ohio. (2) Low Incidence: Bridgeport Pre-Parole Transfer Facility, operated by Corrections Corporation of America for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), Bridgeport, Texas. (3) High Incidence: James V. Allred Unit, TDCJ, Wichita Falls, Texas. (4) High Incidence: Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women, Virginia Department of Corrections, Troy, Virginia. (5) High Incidence: Elmira Correctional Facility, Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Elmira, New York. Based on the prison hearings, the Panel identified the following common themes requiring careful consideration: ● Recognizing Common Characteristics of Inmates Who are Vulnerable to Sexual Abuse ● Understanding Common Differences between Male and Female Facilities ● Understanding the Importance of Professional Language in Establishing a Safe Environment ● Recognizing the Vulnerability of Non-Heterosexual Inmates and Their Need for Proper Treatment ● Strengthening the Integrity of the Entire Complaint Process ● Providing Effective Victim Services ● Equipping Staff to Respond Effectively to Inmate Sexual Victimization iii The Panel identified the following topics for further study: ● Why are Homosexuality and Prior Victimization Significant Indicators of Inmate Victims of Sexual Abuse? ● What are the Distinctive Needs of Female Facilities in Preventing Sexual Victimization? Hearings on Jails For the September 2011 hearings on jails, the Panel invited the following five jails to appear: (1) Low Incidence: Hinds County Work Center, Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, Raymond, Mississippi. (2) Low Incidence: David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Tulsa, Oklahoma. (3) High Incidence: Clallam County Corrections Facility, Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, Port Angeles, Washington. (4) High Incidence: Pre-Trial Detention Center, Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department, Miami, Florida. (5) High Incidence: Orleans Parish Prison, Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, New Orleans, Louisiana. Based on the jail hearings, the Panel identified the following common themes requiring careful consideration: ● Acknowledging the Importance of Facility Design ● Appreciating the Value of Outside Oversight ● Noting the Reluctance to Prosecute Sexual Victimization Cases Involving Inmates ● Recognizing the Resource Challenges that Jails Face ● Employing Well-Trained, Professional Staff The Panel identified the following topics for further study: ● What are the Specific Challenges of Big-City and Rural Jails in Preventing Inmate Sexual Victimization? ● What are the Best Practices in Classifying and Housing LGBTQ Inmates? ● What Would Encourage the Prosecution of Crimes Involving Inmate Sexual Victimization? ● What are the Policies and Practices that Contribute to a Jail Culture that Has Zero Tolerance for Sexual Victimization? ● What are the Best Practices for Monitoring Compliance with a Jail’s Zero- Tolerance Policy for Sexual Victimization? ● What are the Best Practices for Reliably Reporting Sexual Abuse in Jails?

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 2012. 97p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 26, 2012 at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/reviewpanel/pdfs/prea_finalreport_2012.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/reviewpanel/pdfs/prea_finalreport_2012.pdf

Shelf Number: 125069

Keywords:
Prison Rape
Prison Violence
Sexual Assault, Prisons and Jails

Author: Winterdyk, John

Title: Prison Gangs: A Review and Survey of Strategies

Summary: This study collected 34 completed surveys from a list of 50 states, two correctional corporations, and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, for a response rate of 64 percent (these systems held 954,132 prisoners at midyear 2008). In addition, we conducted an extensive literature review on prison gang literature using North American and international sources. The design was based on a prior study conducted by Ruddell, Decker, and Egley (2006) and assistance in administering the survey was facilitated by the Director of Operational Research for the CSC. We believe that this is one of the most comprehensive surveys on American prison gang interventions. The objective of the study was to provide insight into the following research questions: (1) What different gang management strategies are currently in use in three main areas: a. Prevention (e.g., Thwarting gang recruitment of new members). b. Sanctions (e.g., The use of informal and formal methods of controlling existing gang members). c. Interventions (e.g., Treatment/therapeutic interventions that respond to the offender’s criminogenic needs). (2) What strategies have been used to identify and map gangs (e.g., gang structure and activities), including applications of new technology (e.g., tracking J-Pay funds from community sources to prisoners, or developing computerized databases to track the inter-relationships of offenders). (3) To determine whether any formal evaluations of these strategies have been conducted, and if so, whether these interventions have proven to be effective? (In the absence of formal evaluations, are there any strategies that seem to be effective or promising?) Some of the major findings, organized by the six main sections of the survey, include: 􀂙 Most prison systems have experienced some increase in Security Threat Group (STG) members over the past five years and this has been associated with an increased range of challenges including violence, disruptive behaviors, and threats to staff authority. 4 􀂙 While virtually all prison systems surveyed had management strategies to sanction gang members, the most common intervention still remains segregation and isolation followed by restrictions on privileges, and including gang membership in security rating or classification scores. 􀂙 Relatively few of those who responded acknowledged having formal orientation or reception strategies to inform and discourage gang and/or potential gang members from becoming involved in gangs. 􀂙 Approximately one-half of all prison gang members were thought to be unaffiliated with a gang when they were admitted to prison. According to almost two-thirds of respondents, the primary reason for joining a gang is fear of other inmates. 􀂙 Gang renunciation and treatment programs were present in approximately one-third of the prison systems, but for those jurisdictions that do have such programs their most effective strategy for reducing STG misconduct was the case management activities of counselors. 􀂙 While virtually all respondents collect data and information on STG members virtually no external evaluations were conducted on the relative effectiveness of prison-based gang interventions. 􀂙 The most common problem facing American prisons today, as identified by the 34 respondents, was a lack of dedicated resources to combat STG compounded by an increasing prison population, overworked staff, and changing dynamics of STGs. 5 􀂙 Overall, while there is clear evidence showing that prison gangs/STG represent significant challenges for American prison systems, there is no one clear strategy for the management, monitoring, or evaluating the relative effectiveness of current gang management interventions. The primary reason for the lack of coordination and/or investigation is attributable to a lack of resources for STG investigations and coordination between the different jurisdictions (e.g., local jails, as well as state and federal prisons).

Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2009. 45p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 7, 2012 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/briefs/b43/b43-eng.shtml

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/briefs/b43/b43-eng.shtml

Shelf Number: 125503

Keywords:
Inmate Management
Prison Gangs, Interventions (U.S.)
Prison Violence
Prisoners

Author: Blomberg, Thomas G.

Title: Correctional Operations Trend Analysis System (COTAS): An Independent Validation

Summary: This report provides research findings and recommendations from the Florida State University (FSU) Center for Criminology and Public Policy’s validation of the Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) Correctional Operations Trend Analysis System (COTAS). COTAS is designed to serve as a tool for DOC staff to aid in the prevention of violent events at institutional facilities. Using DOC’s large collection of historical and real-time data regarding characteristics about individual inmates, violent and non-violent incidents, and environmental characteristics of institutions, COTAS provides correctional administrators with trend analysis and risk assessment of inmates’ involvement in violent events. COTAS provides the regional and facility administrators with two types of statistics, namely descriptive and predictive. Descriptive statistics from COTAS provide a summary of violent and non-violent events that occurred within DOC regions or administrative areas within the prior 30 days. This data can be “drilled down” to examine the prevalence of events at the facility, dorm, and inmate levels. Additionally, COTAS can provide a 12-month trend analysis of facilities’ monthly count of specific violent and non-violent events. Predictive statistics from COTAS provide the predicted probability of individual inmates’ involvement in violent events. Predictions are generated by an algorithm, which uses historical data to examine the relationship between inmate and facility characteristics and inmates’ involvement in violent events. Both descriptive and predictive statistics are reported to the user in a web-based dashboard interface. Based on pre-defined thresholds, the interface (dashboard) displays the degree of concern that a particular administrator should have regarding the likelihood of violent events occurring during the next thirty days. A detailed description of the COTAS system is provided in Chapter 2 of this report.

Details: Tallahassee: Center for Criminology and Public Policy Research, College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida State University, 2011. 76p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2012 at: http://www.criminologycenter.fsu.edu/p/pdf/COTAS%20Validation%20Report%20-%20FINAL%20July%2010%202011.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.criminologycenter.fsu.edu/p/pdf/COTAS%20Validation%20Report%20-%20FINAL%20July%2010%202011.pdf

Shelf Number: 125688

Keywords:
Correctional Administration
Inmate Discipline
Prison Administration
Prison Violence
Prisoners
Prisons (Florida)

Author: Penal Reform International

Title: Women in Detention: A Guide to Gender-Sensitive Monitoring

Summary: Women in detention: a guide to gender-sensitive monitoring - is designed to help bodies monitoring places of detention incorporate a gender perspective into their work and to address the problem of violence against women and girls in detention. This guide introduces the UN Bangkok Rules and other relevant sources of international law to bodies monitoring places of detention, including National Preventive Mechanisms, and provides guidance on assessing risk factors and making recommendations to improve the protection of women against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Details: London: Penal Reform International, 2013. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2013 at: http://www.penalreform.org/files/Women%20in%20Detention%20-%20a%20guide%20to%20gender%20sensitive%20monitoring_English_0.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: International

URL: http://www.penalreform.org/files/Women%20in%20Detention%20-%20a%20guide%20to%20gender%20sensitive%20monitoring_English_0.pdf

Shelf Number: 128209

Keywords:
Female Inmates
Female Offenders
Female Prisoners
Prison Violence

Author: Beck, Allen J.

Title: Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by Inmates, 2011–12

Summary: Highlights Prevalence of sexual victimization In 2011-12, an estimated 4.0% of state and federal prison inmates and 3.2% of jail inmates reported experiencing one or more incidents of sexual victimization by another inmate or facility staff in the past 12 months or since admission to the facility, if less than 12 months. Using the same methodology since 2007, the rate of sexual victimization among state and federal prison inmates was 4.5% in 2007 and 4.0% in 2011-12; but, the difference was not statistically significant. Among jail inmates, the rate of sexual victimization remained unchanged—3.2% in 2007 and 3.2% in 2011-12. Among state and federal prison inmates, 2.0% (or an estimated 29,300 prisoners) reported an incident involving another inmate, 2.4% (34,100) reported an incident involving facility staff, and 0.4% (5,500) reported both an incident by another inmate and staff. About 1.6% of jail inmates (11,900) reported an incident with another inmate, 1.8% (13,200) reported an incident with staff, and 0.2% (2,400) reported both an incident by another inmate and staff. From 2007 to 2011-12, reports of “willing” sexual activity with staff (excluding touching) declined in prisons and jails, while reports of other types of sexual victimization remained stable. Facility rankings Eleven male prisons, 1 female prison, and 9 jails were identified as high-rate facilities based on the prevalence of inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization in 2011-12. Eight male prisons, 4 female prisons, and 12 jails were identified as high rate based on the prevalence of staff sexual misconduct. Each of these facilities had a lower bound of the 95%-confidence interval that was at least 55% higher than the average rate among comparable facilities. Seven male prisons, 6 female prisons, and 4 jails were identified as low-rate facilities based on a small percentage of inmates reporting any sexual victimization by another inmate or staff and a low upper bound of the 95%-confidence interval around the rate. Among the 225 prisons and 358 jails in the survey, 13 prisons and 34 jails had no reported incidents of sexual victimization. Two military facilities and one Indian country jail had high rates of staff sexual misconduct in 2011-12. The Northwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility (Fort Lewis, Washington) (6.6%) and the Naval Consolidated Brig (Miramar, California) (4.9%) had high rates of staff sexual misconduct that were more than double the average of prisons (2.4%) and jails (1.8%) nationwide. The Oglala Sioux Tribal Offenders Facility (Pine Ridge, South Dakota) (10.8%) reported the highest rate of staff sexual misconduct among all tribal and nontribal jails in the survey. Variations in victimization rates Patterns of inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization in 2011-12 were consistent with patterns in past surveys. Rates reported by prison and jail inmates were higher among females than males, higher among whites than blacks, and higher among inmates with a college degree than those who had not completed high school. Variations in staff sexual misconduct rates were also similar across surveys. Rates reported by inmates were higher among males in jails than females in jails, higher among black inmates in prisons and jails than white inmates in prisons and jails, and lower among inmates age 35 or older than inmates ages 20 to 24 in both prisons and jails. Inmates held for violent sexual offenses reported higher rates of inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization (3.7% in prison and 3.9% in jails) than inmates held for other offenses. Special inmate populations In 2011-12, juveniles ages 16 to 17 held in adult prisons and jails did not have significantly higher rates of sexual victimization than adult inmates: • An estimated 1.8% of juveniles ages 16 to 17 held in prisons and jails reported being victimized by another inmate, compared to 2.0% of adults in prisons and 1.6% of adults in jails. • An estimated 3.2% of juveniles ages 16 to 17 held in prisons and jails reported experiencing staff sexual misconduct. Though higher, these rates were not statistically different from the 2.4% of adults in prisons and 1.8% of adults in jails. • Juveniles (ages 16 to 17) and young adults (ages 18 to 19 and 20 to 24) reported similar rates of sexual victimization for most of the key subgroups (sex, race or Hispanic origin, body mass index, sexual orientation, and offense). Inmates with serious psychological distress reported high rates of inmate-on-inmate and staff sexual victimization in 2011-12: • Among state and federal prison inmates, an estimated 6.3% of those identified with serious psychological distress reported that they were sexually victimized by another inmate. In comparison, among prisoners with no indication of mental illness, 0.7% reported being victimized by another inmate. • Similar differences were reported by jail inmates. An estimated 3.6% of those identified with serious psychological distress reported inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization, compared to 0.7% of inmates with no indication of mental illness. • Rates of serious psychological distress in prisons (14.7%) and jails (26.3%) were substantially higher than the rate (3.0%) in the U.S. noninstitutional population age 18 or older. • For each of the measured demographic subgroups, inmates with serious psychological distress reported higher rates of inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization than inmates without mental health problems. Inmates who reported their sexual orientation as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or other were among those with the highest rates of sexual victimization in 2011-12: • Among non-heterosexual inmates, 12.2% of prisoners and 8.5% of jail inmates reported being sexually victimized by another inmate; 5.4% of prisoners and 4.3% of jail inmates reported being victimized by staff. • In each demographic subgroup (sex, race or Hispanic origin, age, and education), non-heterosexual prison and jail inmates reported higher rates of inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization than heterosexual inmates. • Among inmates with serious psychological distress, non-heterosexual inmates reported the highest rates of inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization (21.0% of prison inmates and 14.7% of jail inmates).

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2013. 108p.

Source: Internet Resource: National Inmate Survey, 2011–12: Accessed May 25, 2013 at: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/svpjri1112.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/svpjri1112.pdf

Shelf Number: 128828

Keywords:
Inmate Sexual Assaults
Prison Rape
Prison Violence
Sexual Victimization (U.S.)

Author: Enggist, Stefan

Title: Prisons and Health

Summary: This book outlines important suggestions by international experts to improve the health of people in prison and to reduce the risks posed by imprisonment to both health and society. In particular, it aims to facilitate better prison health practices in the fields of: -human rights and medical ethics; -communicable diseases; -noncommunicable diseases; -oral health; -risk factors; -vulnerable groups; and -prison health management. It is aimed at professional staff at all levels of responsibility for the health and well-being of detainees and at people with political responsibility. The term "prison" covers all institutions in which a state holds people deprived of their liberty.

Details: Copenhagen: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, 2014. 189p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 16, 2014 at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/249188/Prisons-and-Health.pdf?ua=1

Year: 2014

Country: International

URL: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/249188/Prisons-and-Health.pdf?ua=1

Shelf Number: 132461

Keywords:
Health Care
Human Rights
Medical Care
Prison Violence
Prisoner Health

Author: Hoke, Scott

Title: Inmate Behavior Management: Guide to Meeting Basic Needs

Summary: Violence, vandalism, and other unwanted inmate behaviors prevail in many jails nationwide, and they frustrate jail practitioners who must ensure the safety and security of inmates, staff and the public. Jail environments are one of the few environments in our communities where this type of behavior is expected and accepted. The environment created by these behaviors should not be considered acceptable and it is the jail administrators� responsibility to operate their facilities in a way that prevents these behaviors from occurring. Relatively few resources make it challenging to provide assistance and detailed direction to administrators on how best to operate such a complex organization. National Institute of Corrections (NIC) has introduced an initiative designed to: teach administrators, managers, and corrections officers the most effective methods to control inmate behavior and optimize operational efficiency. NIC calls the initiative Inmate Behavior Management or IBM. The comprehensive management system has six identifiable elements that work together to manage inmate behavior and create an efficient and effective organization (Hutchinson, Keller, and Reid 2009): 1 Assessing risks and needs 2 Assigning inmates to housing 3 Meeting inmates� basic needs 4 Defining and conveying expectations for inmates 5 Supervising inmates 6 Keeping inmates productively occupied 7 Defining and conveying expectations is one in a series of documents or tools for jails practitioners to use as they implement this management strategy A Guide to Meeting Basic Needs offers practical information and guidance on implementing element three � meeting inmates� basic needs. One important aspect of managing inmate behavior is to understand what motivates human behavior. Experience has shown that if a jail does not meet the basic human needs of inmates, the inmates will find a way to satisfy their needs in ways that may be unfavorable to the orderly operation of the jail. Understanding what motivates human behavior provides jail administrators with a very useful tool for managing inmates since it helps explain both good inmate behavior and bad. This document not only provides guidance to jail practitioners as they implement this element, but it also provides self-assessment checklists to determine how well the jail is doing in the delivery of basic needs and suggestions for area of improvement.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. National Institute of Corrections, 2014. 76p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2014 at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/027704.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/027704.pdf

Shelf Number: 132577

Keywords:
Correctional Administration
Inmate Discipline
Inmates
Jail Administration
Jails
Prison Administration
Prison Violence
Prisoners

Author: Southern Center for Human Rights

Title: The Crisis of Violence in Georgia's Prisons

Summary: This report entitled, The Crisis of Violence in Georgia's Prisons about the recent, significant rise in violence, torture, and homicides in the Georgia prison system. SCHR is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate, and is calling on state officials to reduce violence, and better protect incarcerated persons and prison staff. The last several years have seen an escalation in the level of homicides, stabbings, and assaults in the Georgia prison system. On June 29, 2014, Shannon Grier was stabbed to death at Augusta State Medical Prison. He became the 33rd Georgia prisoner to be killed by other prisoners since 2010. In 2012 alone, Georgia had more homicides in its state prisons than many states' prisons had in the last ten years, from 2001-2011 (e.g. Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi). Three times as many prisoners were killed in Georgia state prisons in 2012 than ten years ago.

Details: Atlanta, GA: Southern Center for Human Rights, 2014. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2014 at: https://www.schr.org/files/post/files/Crisis%20of%20Violence%20in%20Prisons-9%20reduced%20FINAL.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: https://www.schr.org/files/post/files/Crisis%20of%20Violence%20in%20Prisons-9%20reduced%20FINAL.pdf

Shelf Number: 132807

Keywords:
Prison Violence
Prisoner Deaths
Prisons (Georgia)

Author: Hoke, Scott

Title: Inmate Behavior Management: Northampton County Jail Case Study

Summary: Violence, vandalism, and other unwanted inmate behaviors prevail in many jails nationwide, and they frustrate jail practitioners who must ensure the safety and security of inmates, staff and the public. Jail environments are one of the few environments in our communities where this type of behavior is expected and accepted. The environment created by these behaviors should not be considered acceptable, and it is jail administrators' responsibility to operate their facilities in a way that prevents these behaviors from occurring. Effectively managing inmate behavior creates a safer environment for the inmates and staff and allows the jail to provide a valuable service to the public. Community safety is enhanced by strong jail management and facilities should aspire to create environments where compliance, respect, and cooperation are fostered. In an attempt to create a system of strong management, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) introduced an initiative that was designed to teach administrators, managers, and corrections officers the most effective methods to control inmate behavior and optimize operational efficiency. NIC calls the initiative Inmate Behavior Management or IBM. The comprehensive management system has six identifiable elements that work together to control inmate behavior and create an efficient and effective organization (Hutchinson, Keller, and Reid 2009): 1 Assessing risks and needs 2 Assigning inmates to housing 3 Meeting inmates' basic needs 4 Defining and conveying expectations for inmates 5 Supervising inmates 6 Keeping inmates productively occupied Inmate Behavior Management: Northampton County Jail Case Study provides an example of how one facility planned and implemented the IBM management system and transitioned to a philosophy that refused to accept negative behavior as a natural result of the process of confinement. The experiences and results detailed in this report can be considered a valuable resource for any jail administrator who wants to make similar changes.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. National Institute of Corrections, 2013. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 12, 2014 at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/027702.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/027702.pdf

Shelf Number: 133014

Keywords:
Correctional Administration
Inmate Discipline
Inmates
Jail Administration
Jails
Prison Administration
Prison Violence
Prisoners

Author: Hoke, Scott

Title: Inmate Behavior Management: Brazos County Jail Case Study

Summary: Violence, vandalism, and other unwanted inmate behaviors prevail in many jails nationwide, and they frustrate jail practitioners who must ensure the safety and security of inmates, staff, and the public. Jail environments are one of the few environments in our communities where this type of behavior is expected and accepted. The environment created by these behaviors should not be considered acceptable, and it is jail administrators' responsibility to operate their facilities in a way that prevents these behaviors from occurring. Effectively managing inmate behavior creates a safer environment for inmates and staff and allows the jail to provide a valuable service to the public. Community safety is enhanced by strong jail management, and facilities should aspire to create environments where compliance, respect, and cooperation are fostered. In an attempt to create a system of strong management, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) introduced an initiative that was designed to teach administrators, managers, and corrections officers the most effective methods to control inmate behavior and optimize operational efficiency. NIC calls the initiative Inmate Behavior Management or IBM. The comprehensive management system has six identifiable elements that work together to control inmate behavior and create an efficient and effective organization (Hutchinson, Keller, and Reid 2009): 1 Assessing risks and needs 2 Assigning inmates to housing 3 Meeting inmates' basic needs 4 Defining and conveying expectations for inmates 5 Supervising inmates 6 Keeping inmates productively occupied Inmate Behavior Management: Brazos County Jail Case Study provides an example of how one facility planned and implemented the IBM management system and transitioned to a philosophy that refused to accept negative behavior as a natural result of the process of confinement. The experiences and results detailed in this report can be considered a valuable resource for any jail administrator who wants to make similar changes.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2014. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 12, 2014 at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/027703.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/027703.pdf

Shelf Number: 133021

Keywords:
Correctional Administration
Inmate Discipline
Inmates
Jail Administration
Jails
Prison Administration
Prison Violence
Prisoners

Author: U.S. Department of Justice. United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York

Title: CRIPA Investigation of the New York City Department of Correction Jails on Rikers Island

Summary: Attorney General Eric Holder and United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara announced today the completion of the Justice Department's multi-year civil investigation pursuant to the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act ("CRIPA") into the conditions of confinement of adolescent male inmates on Rikers Island. The investigation, which focused on use of force by staff, inmate-on-inmate violence, and use of punitive segregation during the period 2011-2013, concluded that there is a pattern and practice of conduct at Rikers Island that violates the rights of adolescents protected by the Eighth Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The investigation found that adolescent inmates are not adequately protected from physical harm due to the rampant use of unnecessary and excessive force by New York City Department of Correction ("DOC") staff and violence inflicted by other inmates. In addition, the investigation found that DOC relies too heavily on punitive segregation as a disciplinary measure, placing adolescent inmates in what amounts to solitary confinement at an alarming rate and for excessive periods of time. Many of the adolescent inmates are particularly vulnerable because they suffer from mental illness.

Details: New York: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, 2014. 79p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 30, 2014 at: http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/August14/RikersReportPR/SDNY%20Rikers%20Report.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/August14/RikersReportPR/SDNY%20Rikers%20Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 133871

Keywords:
Adolescents
Correctional Administration
Inmate Violence
Jail Administration
Jails (New York City)
Prison Violence
Prisoner Abuse
Prisoners
Rikers Island
Segregation

Author: Hastings, Allison

Title: Screening for Risk of Sexual Victimization and for Abusiveness: Guidelines for Administering Screening Instruments and Using the Information to Inform Housing Decisions

Summary: The National Standards to Prevent, Detect, and Respond to Prison Rape (Standards) under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) require corrections agencies, as part of their prevention efforts, to screen individuals for their risk of sexual victimization or sexual abusiveness and to use the information to inform housing, bed, work, education, and program assignments. To help agencies achieve compliance with the Standards, Vera's Center for Sentencing and Corrections, in conjunction with the National PREA Resource Center has developed guidelines to screen for risk of sexual victimization and for abusiveness, including questions to be asked of inmates, residents, and detainees, and the best use of the information from the screening to inform housing decisions. These guidelines are based on reviews of screening tools and consultations with national classification experts, corrections practitioners, technical assistance providers, and researchers.

Details: New York: Vera Institute of Justice, 2013. 9p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2015 at: http://www.vera.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/prea-screening-guidelines.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://www.vera.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/prea-screening-guidelines.pdf

Shelf Number: 135324

Keywords:
Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)
Prison Violence
Risk Assessment
Sex Offenders (U.S.)

Author: Commission on Sex in Prison (U.K.)

Title: Coercive sex in prison

Summary: - There has been minimal research on sexual abuse in prison and the nature and extent of the problem is not known - Sexual violence in prison is hidden and under- reported - Research by Banbury (2004) found that 1 per cent of prisoners had been raped and 5.3 per cent were victims of coerced sex - Annual data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics show that 2 per cent of prisoners in the US had been the victim of a non-consensual sex act and 4 per cent had been sexually victimised - HMIP data show that 1 per cent of prisoners reported being sexually abused in prison. Extrapolating from prison population and reception figures, this means that between 850 to 1650 prisoners could be victims of sexual assault while inside - Ministry of Justice data show that the number of recorded sexual assaults in prison rose in 2013 and is now at the highest recorded level since 2005 - Gay and transgender prisoners are at higher risk of sexual assault than heterosexual prisoners - Good staff prisoner relationships are fundamental in preventing sexual abuse. Staff shortages and overcrowding can undermine professional relationships and put prisoners at risk - Investigations into sexual assaults can be slow and the police are not routinely notified about allegations of abuse - Prisons are closed institutions. It is complacent to assume that sexual exploitation and abuse by staff never happens in prison.

Details: London: Commission on Sex in Prison, 2014. 8p.

Source: Internet Resource: Briefing paper 3: Accessed May 21, 2015 at: http://www.commissiononsexinprison.org/fileadmin/howard_league/user/pdf/Publications/Coercive_sex_in_prison_web.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.commissiononsexinprison.org/fileadmin/howard_league/user/pdf/Publications/Coercive_sex_in_prison_web.pdf

Shelf Number: 135738

Keywords:
Prison Rape
Prison Violence
Prisoner Misconduct
Sexual Assault

Author: Canada. Office of the Correctional Investigator

Title: Unauthorized Force: An Investigation into the Dangerous Use of Firearms at Kent Institution

Summary: 1. Pursuant to Section 170 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, the Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI) conducted an investigation into the use of firearms during a lockdown and series of searches at Kent Institution between January 8 and January18, 2010. The firearms were deployed by members of an extralegal Tactical Team (TAC), the only unit of its kind operating within the federal correctional system, in response to a suspected ballistic threat ('zip gun')1 that was alleged to have been smuggled into the maximum security facility. 2. For 10 days, the institution was locked down as riotequipped personnel assumed a 'lethal overwatch' function as the Region's Emergency Response Team (ERT) conducted cell extractions in which compliant and handcuffed inmates were removed from their cells at gunpoint. Following cell extraction procedures, inmates were then led down the ranges as charged and loaded weapons were pointed at them. They were taken to a common area where they were strip searched, often with little concern for dignity, modesty or privacy. During the lockdown, inmates were confined to their cells for days on end, some deprived of medication and the most basic necessities of hygiene and routinely denied fresh air exercise, even though meeting this legal requirement would not have increased the threat level. 3. As the lockdown continued and the search failed to turn up the alleged threat, the ERT and TAC response adopted an increasingly provocative and intimidating posture. Legal and policy provisions regarding use of force interventions were routinely violated as members of the Tactical Team operated in the absence of any management presence or effective oversight for the duration of the crisis. In daily reports of their activities, team leaders denied that weapons were drawn or pointed directly at inmates, despite videotape evidence to the contrary. 4. To date, the 10 day lockdown of Kent Institution generated 379 known (or 'reportable') uses of force interventions. Hundreds more suspected use of force incidents have not yet been reviewed - documents are missing, the incidents deemed 'nonreportable' (and therefore not counted officially) or never recorded, downloaded or preserved in the first place, all contrary to use of force procedures and guidelines.2 5. The potential lethal nature of the threat, the duration and magnitude of the lockdown and the ensuing searches should have warranted the designation of a crisis or emergency situation by normal policy standards. The potential for a serious (and lethal) escalation of violence between inmates and armed staff was present at nearly every turn. While informed and aware of developments at Kent Institution, including the deployment of the Tactical Team, the National Headquarters (NHQ) of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) did not actively challenge the response of local (institutional) or Regional authorities. To date, no formal disciplinary action has been taken against management or any of the ERT or Tactical Team members, although the twelve year 'pilot' project that sustained the armed unit has been abandoned. The lack of management oversight raised in this investigation gives rise to serious questions regarding CSC's accountability and governance structures. 6. These events should concern Canadians as the issues and questions raised in this report are disturbing. They cannot simply be explained as a 'deviation from policy,' contrary to the perspective of the CSC. Rather, what happened at Kent Institution amounts to an abuse of correctional power and authority, systemic breakdowns in management accountability and oversight, gaps in use of force review and reporting procedures, deterioration in dynamic security practices and principles, and violations of human rights law and policy. These are significant deficiencies that increasingly call into question the effectiveness of CSC's internal use of force review process. 7. In examining the documentary and video record of the events under investigation, the OCI concludes that the level of force used to conduct the two searches of Kent Institution in January 2010 was unwarranted, beyond what was authorized, and dangerous. 8. In concluding this investigation, the OCI calls for an independent and expert review of CSC's legal, policy and administrative frameworks governing use of force interventions in federal penitentiaries. This external review should identify gaps and deficiencies in the current use of force policy and review process, and include recommended measures to strengthen accountability, monitoring, oversight and corrective functions at the regional and national levels of CSC administration. The independent review should be delivered to the Minister of Public Safety, together with an action plan setting out remedies, within six months. The action plan should be made public.

Details: Ottawa: Office of the Correctional Investigator, 2011. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2015 at: http://www.oci-bec.gc.ca/cnt/rpt/pdf/oth-aut/KentReport-eng.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Canada

URL: http://www.oci-bec.gc.ca/cnt/rpt/pdf/oth-aut/KentReport-eng.pdf

Shelf Number: 135880

Keywords:
Correctional Administration
Prison Violence

Author: Correctional Association of New York

Title: Clinton Correctional Facility: 2012-2014

Summary: Clinton Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison that has a Main compound and an Annex, and is located in Dannemora, NY, in the northernmost part of the state. Established in 1845 and sometimes referred to as "Little Siberia" because of the harsh weather conditions and intimidating environment, Clinton is the third oldest Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) prison in New York State. Clinton has a massive foreboding stone and cement wall on its perimeter, immediately adjacent to the Main Street of Dannemora. Like many other maximum security prisons in the state, the Main is lined with long corridors of stacked tiers of cells, while the Annex has dorm-style housing. Throughout its long history, parts of Clinton had at various stages operated as a "mining prison" where incarcerated persons were forced to work in the mining and manufacturing of iron, a site for the death penalty by electrocution, a tuberculosis ward, a state mental hospital for people declared insane after conviction, a mental health treatment center, one of the largest employers in the area, and always a prison for incarcerating people convicted of the most serious crimes. Clinton has also had an infamous history of violence, brutality, and abuse by correction officers, as well as unrest, violence, organizing, and lawsuits by people incarcerated at the facility. Incidents within this history have ranged from what has been classified as one of the largest prison rebellions in New York State history in 1929, to a series of successful brutality lawsuits in the 1990s, to more recent alleged staff assaults, incarcerated person fights, and facility-wide lockdowns. In the mid- 1990s, for example, the New York Times went so far as to report that Federal judges "have repeatedly found that excessive force by guards has violated [incarcerated persons'] civil rights," that corrections experts found the settling of 10 brutality lawsuits at Clinton to be "extraordinary, since [incarcerated persons'] rarely win such cases and officials rarely settle them," that Clinton had an "internal culture that tolerates a higher level of violence than others, and where guards are more likely to test the boundaries of what is considered acceptable force," and that vast racial and cultural disparities between incarcerated persons and staff exacerbated conflicts. Today, Clinton is the largest DOCCS prison in the state, with a total capacity of 2,956 people in the Main and Annex combined. As discussed in detail below, the facility continues to be plagued by violence and staff brutality at a level that is among the worst of DOCCS prisons. In addition to its general confinement in the Main and Annex, at the time of our visit Clinton operated two unique residential programs separated from the rest of the facility, Merle Cooper and the Assessment and Program Preparation Unit (APPU), as well as a residential Intermediate Care Program (ICP) for people with serious mental health needs, and a Special Housing Unit (SHU) and additional SHU and long-term keeplock isolated confinement cell blocks.

Details: New York: Correctional Association of New York, 2015. 86p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 20, 2015 at: http://www.correctionalassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Clinton-Correctional-Facility-Final-Draft-2.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://www.correctionalassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Clinton-Correctional-Facility-Final-Draft-2.pdf

Shelf Number: 136508

Keywords:
Correctional Institutions
Maximum Security Prisons
Prison Conditions
Prison Violence
Prisons

Author: Labrecque, Ryan M.

Title: The Effect of Solitary Confinement on Institutional Misconduct: A Longitudinal Evaluation

Summary: Solitary confinement (SC) has been an important component of the American prison system since the emergence of the penitentiaries in the early 1800s. The main criticism of SC has long been that it causes inhabitants undue psychological distress and by extension increases propensity toward criminal behavior. The use of SC raises constitutional and humanitarian concerns, with critics who charge the practice constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, is inhumane, and violates the minimum standards of decency. However, SC is also a management tool in which correctional officials have come to rely upon for the effective management of prisons, and many would not waiver in the contention that SC is needed to ensure the safety and security of these institutions. Thus, there remains an active debate in the literature and in practice with respect to how SC influences criminal behavior in which three claims have been made: (1) SC decreases criminal behavior; (2) SC increases criminal behavior; and (3) SC has little, if any, effect on criminal behavior. Surprisingly, despite its long-standing and widespread use, SC has remained an elusive subject in empirical research, especially in terms of its effects on behavioral outcomes. This dissertation adds to this gap in knowledge by providing a longitudinal evaluation of the effect of SC on institutional misconduct in a sample of 14,311 inmates in the state of Ohio. The results of this study indicate SC does not have any significant effect on the prevalence or incidence of subsequent violent, nonviolent, or drug misconduct. Policy implications and recommendations based on these findings are discussed.

Details: Cincinnati: University of Cincinnati, 2015. 198p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed August 24, 2015 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/249013.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/249013.pdf

Shelf Number: 136566

Keywords:
Prison Violence
Prisoner Misconduct
Solitary Confinement

Author: Lydon, Jason

Title: Coming Out of Concrete Closets: A Report on Black & Pink's LGBTQ Prisoner Survey

Summary: This report lifts up the voices of LGBTQ prisoners from across the United States so that they can inform, shape, and lead the movement for prisoner justice. These numbers, statistics, and stories represent the largest ever collection of information from LGBTQ prisoners. This collection of information is possible because of the time taken by 1,118 prisoners across the United States to handwrite responses to our 133 question survey, which was itself designed/drafted with prisoners themselves. Black & Pink's free world leadership extends the utmost thanks to prisoner members who took the time to help design and respond to the National LGBTQ Prisoner Survey and for sharing their deeply personal and valuable stories of harm and resilience. This report will be printed in the Black & Pink newspaper for all prisoner members to read. Along with the report, there will be space for responses and reflections that will be compiled into a supplementary report to be released in Spring/Summer of 2016. LGBTQ people, particularly people of color and poor people, experience high levels of policing and criminalization, leading to arrest and incarceration. Once inside prison, LGBTQ people are subjected to constant violence by both prison staff and other prisoners. This report seeks to offer a tool for organizers, both inside and outside of prisons, to strengthen national campaigns and grassroots efforts to alleviate the immediate suffering of prisoners and bring an end to the prison industrial complex while centering the needs of LGBTQ prisoners.

Details: Dorchester, MA: Black and Pink, 2015. 68p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 28, 2015 at: http://www.blackandpink.org/wp-content/upLoads/Coming-Out-of-Concrete-Closets.-Black-and-Pink.-October-21-2015..pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://www.blackandpink.org/wp-content/upLoads/Coming-Out-of-Concrete-Closets.-Black-and-Pink.-October-21-2015..pdf

Shelf Number: 137159

Keywords:
Gays
Inmates
Lesbians
Prison Violence
Prisoners

Author: Lessing, Benjamin

Title: A Hole at the Center of the State: Prison Gangs and the Limits to Punitive Power

Summary: The state's central function is to establish authority through its monopoly on violence; the very attempt, however, can be counterproductive. Punishment incapacitates and deters individuals, but can empower destructive collective forces. Prison gangs, their ranks swelled by mass incarceration, transform the core of the coercive apparatus into a headquarters for organizing and taxing street-level criminal activity, supplanting state authority in communities, and orchestrating mass violence and protest. Drawing on a formal model, fieldwork, and case studies from the US and Latin America, I show how gangs use control over prison life, plus the state-provided threat of incarceration, to project power. The model predicts that common state responses-crackdowns and harsher sentencing- can strengthen prison gangs' leverage over outside actors, consistent with the observed expansion of prison gangs during mass-incarceration initiatives. These gang-strengthening effects of incarceration can have increasing returns, implying a point beyond which additional punishment erodes state authority.

Details: Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University, Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, 2014. 57p.

Source: Internet Resource: CDDRL Working Papers, Vol. 149: Accessed January 13, 2016 at: http://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/Lessing_-_A_Hole_at_the_Center_of_the_State.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/Lessing_-_A_Hole_at_the_Center_of_the_State.pdf

Shelf Number: 137558

Keywords:
Inmates
Prison Gangs
Prison Violence
Prisoners

Author: Sanhueza, Guillermo E.

Title: Exploring Correlates of Prison Violence in Chilean Prisons: Examining nationwide, administrative data

Summary: In modern times, imprisonment has been established as punishment and not for punishment, which means that the only right that is suspended has to do with freedom of movement. Nevertheless, serving a sentence in Chilean prisons has become a form of continuous punishment that extends far beyond the mere deprivation of liberty. Indeed, Chilean prisons have been criticized for their levels of overcrowding, lack of access to rehabilitative programs, and for their levels of mistreatment towards inmates. In addition, violence has become a common, daily reality in many facilities throughout the country. Its occurrence is problematic not only because it threats security and order inside prisons, but also because it undermines any attempt to successfully develop rehabilitative initiatives inside prison walls. Despite that prison violence has been studied in developed nations, much remains unanswered for developing countries. Thus, this dissertation will try to fill part of this gap by analyzing the correlates of violent events in Chilean prisons as well as by examining which theory of prison violence (among deprivation, administrative-control and importation) seemed to better explain the study's results. In order to do that, this study employed a combination of both administrative data from the Chilean Bureau of Prisons (Gendarmeria de Chile) and some results of the First National Survey on Inmates' Perception of Quality of Life, conducted in 2013 (Sanhueza, in press). Anchored in the literature review and on empirical findings on prison violence, this study included six representative indicators coming for the three theories tested, while controlling for total inmate population size. Then, descriptive analyses and a series of multivariate, negative binomial regression models were run. Main results indicated that the two importation variables (average inmates' age and the proportion of inmates highly-engaged in criminal activities) and the control variable remained significant in the full model. Finally, this study highlights some of their possibilities and limitations, as well as suggests some further research questions and policy implications.

Details: Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 2014. 123p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 28, 2016 at: https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/110463/gesanhue_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Year: 2014

Country: Chile

URL: https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/110463/gesanhue_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Shelf Number: 138448

Keywords:
Correctional Administration
Prison Administration
Prison Riots
Prison Violence
Prisoner Misconduct
Prisons

Author: Novis, Roberta

Title: Hard Times: Exploring the Complex Structures and Activities of Brazilian Prison Gangs

Summary: This research examines the presence of organised criminal groups in prison and its influence on inmate's interaction and on the prison system of Rio de Janeiro. Information collected from a series of in-depth interviews with prisoners and ex-prisoners, members and non-members of the criminal groups and authorities of the criminal justice system, suggests that the current social organisation of prisons is working favourably towards the further development of organised crime and deviant behaviour. Prisoners are subordinated not only to the prison administration but also to the gang leaders. If a convict had no links with drug trafficking prior to incarceration, they definitely create one behind bars. Ninety-eight percent (98%) of interviewees from the sensitive sample engaged in drug trafficking while in prison. Off-brand inmates, those who are the less conspicuous convicts, end up engaging in illegal activities to avoid retaliation, perpetuating then a cycle of violence in a fragmented geopolitical gang space behind bars. Political pressure towards the validity of the classification system stratified by gang affiliation has impacted on the prison administration to create multiple categories of prisoners, which are mutually exclusive. This has had pervasive impacts on penal affairs such as allocation of sentences, lack of vacancies and disruption of prisoner's routine. The research shows that the State goes beyond classification of inmates by gang affiliation; it has incorporated elements of gang's violent tradition to assess and influence justice and prisoner's progression. This study offers an interesting scope for a comparative analysis through the study of anti-prison gang strategies. Experiences around the globe have been driven to target gangs with racial and ethnical rivalries. Prison gangs in this study are devoted to a more capitalist goal: the monopoly of illegal drug markets in the streets. Such understandings and contextualizing make a significant contribution to re-examining the role of inmate culture as well as the value of contemporary penal reforms designed to making the penal institutions more responsive and interventionist in addressing inmate needs.

Details: London: London School of Economics, 2013. 279p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 29, 2016 at: http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/958/1/Novis_hard_times.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Brazil

URL: http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/958/1/Novis_hard_times.pdf

Shelf Number: 138455

Keywords:
Drug Trafficking
Organized Crime
Prison Administration
Prison Gangs
Prison Violence
Prisoners

Author: Great Britain. HM Chief Inspector of Prisons

Title: Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Lewes

Summary: HMP/YOI Lewes is a medium sized local prison with an uncrowded capacity of 617. At the time of the inspection it held just over 640 prisoners, including a substantial number awaiting trial or sentence. A third of the population were convicted of sexual offences, many with long or indeterminate sentences, and about 15% were in the last three months of their sentence and located at Lewes for pre-release resettlement support. As with other establishments, the number of older prisoners was rising and there was also a significant population of young adults. This complex mix presented considerable challenges and risks, exemplified by the first night centre. Sex offenders were held there because there was nowhere else to put them, and this meant that other new arrivals were placed wherever a space could be found in the prison. Some were even placed in the segregation unit, which is a particularly inappropriate location for someone new to prison. Most staff on other units were unaware of who the new arrivals were and could not therefore provide first night support and monitoring. Moreover, during our night visit, we found that some staff did not have anti-ligature knives and could not assure us that they would act appropriately in the event of a serious self-harm incident. This was in the context of over a quarter of prisoners in our survey reporting feeling depressed or suicidal on arrival, and a third saying they had mental health problems. Levels of violence and use of force were high and oversight of both was poor. Although we have seen rising violence in most prisons inspected over the last year, at Lewes the number of assaults was even higher than at other establishments recently inspected. However, the general picture on violence was complex and needed careful analysis; prisoners reported feeling relatively safe and selfharm was also lower than we see in other prisons. The safer custody structures that could have helped to understand and address such findings were lacking; violence reduction procedures were not being implemented and safer custody staff had no time to undertake the role. Most of the prison was clean and in good condition - a considerable achievement given that it was over 160 years old. Good relationships between staff and prisoners, many of whom were from the local area, were a strength that underpinned much of the positive work in the prison. The reassurance provided by the experienced staff group may help to explain why prisoners felt safe despite the high levels of violence. Health care was reasonably good but far too many external hospital appointments were missed as a result of a lack of escort staff. The increased number of hospital visits reflected the rise in older prisoners, approximately 10% of whom were over 60, more than double the figure at the last inspection. The oldest prisoner was over 90. However, despite creditable work by paid carers, provision for older and disabled prisoners was inadequate. Overall arrangements for equality and diversity were also poor. There was little systematic support for prisoners with protected characteristics and those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and foreign national prisoners were much more negative than others about their treatment. Purposeful activity outcomes had dipped since the last inspection, although they were improving. More short education courses were provided, which better met the needs of many prisoners, and completion and success rates on short courses and in vocational training were high. The library was well run and access to PE was good. However, far too many prisoners were still without purposeful activity. Despite a very recently introduced new regime, on some units people were routinely locked up for 23 hours and we found half of the population in their cells during our spot checks over the course of the working day. There were not enough activity places and some of the available places were unused.

Details: London: HM Chief Inspectorate of Prisons, 2016. 119p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2016 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/04/Lewes-web-2015.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/04/Lewes-web-2015.pdf

Shelf Number: 138835

Keywords:
Correctional Institutions
Correctional Programs
Prison Administration
Prison Conditions
Prison Violence
Prisoners
Prisons

Author: Gooch, Kate

Title: Prison Bullying and Victimisation

Summary: Executive Summary i. Victimisation has long been recognised as significant problem across the young offender institution (YOI) estate. However, relatively little research has focused on the specific problem of bullying amongst young prisoners and much of the available research, both about bullying and prison violence more generally, is dated. Thus, we know relatively little about why young prisoners are more likely to engage in violence and bullying, and how the dynamics of these may have changed over time. In addition, there is little academic material on how to address and reduce the incidence of violence and bullying in prison more generally. Yet, the effects and impact of victimisation can be significant, both for the individuals concerned and the wider prison community. Thus, understanding how, when and why prison violence and bullying occurs is crucial. ii. This study was authorised by a Governing Governor in response to the high levels of bullying within a specific establishment. However, in seeking to understand the problem of bullying within a particular YOI, this report also generates findings and makes recommendations designed to address broader issues of national policy and practice. We argue that high levels of victimisation are neither inevitable nor acceptable. However, in order to reduce the incidence of victimisation, a specific anti-victimisation strategy and a 'whole prison approach' is required. iii. The aims of this study were fourfold. First, to explore the nature and dynamics of bullying amongst young prisoners aged 18-21 years old. Second, to assess how young prisoners construct and rationalise their involvement in bullying and victimisation, as well as how they conceptualise and define bullying and victimisation. Third, to explore the perceptions of prison staff and, finally, to identify areas of good practice and make recommendations. Key Findings 1. Victimisation was a widespread problem and a largely 'taken for granted' aspect of prison life. Within that context, bullying occurred frequently but it was often difficult to tease out incidents of 'bullying' from the broader range of victimising behaviours. 2. Bullying is an ambiguous, subjective and 'slippery' term and not everyone - whether staff or prisoners - had a shared understanding of precisely what constitutes 'bullying.' 3. Bullying was a form of predatory behaviour where prisoners who were perceived to be weak, vulnerable or otherwise inadequate were targeted. In this respect, bullying was distinguishable from acts of physical violence where the roles were not necessarily sharply divided and where the purpose, interests and gains varied. 4. Technological advances, operational changes, social changes and the increased availability of contraband items such as mobile telephones and new psychoactive substances (NPS, typically dubbed 'legal highs') have re-shaped the dynamics of prison bullying and victimisation. 5. Prison violence often has roots in an array of conflicts occurring in the community and spilling over into the prison environment. 6. Sexual violence, gang activity, initiation ceremonies, faith-related conflict, the misuse of prescription medication and violence directly related to the use NPS were less common forms of victimisation. 7. Perpetrators were not always 'lone rangers' and some of the worst acts of victimisation occurred when several prisoners acted in a 'joint enterprise' to assault, bully, extort or steal from others. 8. Perpetrators were often opportunistic. Thus, situational controls, effective staff supervision and good 'jail craft' are essential in limiting the instances of bullying and inter-prisoner conflicts. The structure and management of the prison regime can also either limit or increase opportunities for victimisation. 9. Prisoners were 'tested' to determine their susceptibility to extortion, exploitation and abuse. If prisoners failed to 'stand up for themselves', this often attracted sustained victimisation with little compassion or empathy from their peers. 10. The ways in which prisoners engaged in victimisation are not as narrow as previously thought. Both the behaviour and needs of perpetrators, perpetrator-victims and victims vary. Thus, understanding the individuals involved and the circumstances of their involvement is key. 11. There were marked similarities between victims and perpetrators. Looked after children, disabled prisoners and young people moving from the juvenile secure estate to the young adult YOI estate featured as both victims and perpetrators. Their needs, and the link between vulnerability and victimisation, were not always well understood by frontline staff. 12. There is no 'magic bullet' or single solution that will solve the problem of prison victimisation, however, the frequency and severity of victimisation can be reduced if a 'whole prison approach' is adopted. 13. Strong staff-prisoner relationships are central, not only in preventing victimisation but also in terms of enabling victims to disclose concerns and in supporting victims and perpetrators effectively and appropriately. 14. Perpetrators can and often do change their behaviour given the right opportunities and in the right context. Thus, any anti-victimisation strategy must be set within a context where there is an emphasis on rehabilitation and on moving prisoners from negative to positive behaviour. 15. Punishment alone is insufficient and will not necessarily lead to behavioural change. In order to engage prisoners in behavioural change, there must be more 'carrots' than 'sticks' and prisoners must be able to access more rewards through positive than through harmful behaviour.

Details: Birmingham, UK: Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham, 2015.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/Documents/college-artslaw/law/Prison-Bullying-and-Victimisation.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/Documents/college-artslaw/law/Prison-Bullying-and-Victimisation.pdf

Shelf Number: 145134

Keywords:
Prison Bullying
Prison Gangs
Prison Victimization
Prison Violence
Prisoners

Author: Hampton, Elspeth

Title: Coping with Imprisonment: Exploring Bullying, Safety and Social Support within Prison Settings

Summary: This thesis examines prisoners' experiences of imprisonment. Initially, some of the challenges that prisoners face during imprisonment are considered, of which bullying represents a prominent feature. A systematic review of literature exploring bullying within prisons is presented, with emphasis on the nature and prevalence of bullying and the characteristics of those involved. High rates of bullying within prisons are reported, with prisoners tending to have experience in both perpetration and victimisation. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; Snaith & Zigmond, 1994) is suggested as a useful tool for measuring psychological well-being within prisoners. The measure is investigated in terms of its reliability and validity. Finally, an empirical research study exploring the influence of perceived safety and social support on the psychological well-being of prisoners in open conditions is described. The study employed a mixed-method design, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Results revealed relatively low levels of anxiety and depression among prisoners with high levels of perceived safety. There were some significant differences in social support according to levels of anxiety and depression but prisoners' concerns about trust and fear of being moved back to closed conditions limited the degree to which they sought support from relationships within prison.

Details: Birmingham, UK: The Centre for Forensic and Criminological Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, 2012. 201p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/3903/1/Hampton_12_ForenPsyD.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/3903/1/Hampton_12_ForenPsyD.pdf

Shelf Number: 145132

Keywords:
Prison Bullying
Prison Victimization
Prison Violence
Prisonization

Author: Great Britain. House of Commons. Justice Committee

Title: Prison safety

Summary: In this report we examine the Government's response to the ongoing and rapid deterioration in prison safety in England and Wales which began in 2012. We took evidence from the Prisons Minister and the Chief Executive of the National Offender Management Service on prison safety in December 2015, and statistics published in January and April 2016 showed higher rates of self-harm and assaults than in the previous 12 months, and significant growth in the number of incidents compared to the previous quarter. We wished to reflect on the progress made by the Ministry of Justice and NOMS in their efforts to stabilise the rise in assaults against prisoners and staff, incidents of self-harm and self-inflicted deaths, and obtained the views of several key stakeholders in writing. The MoJ and NOMS have sought to improve prison safety through a wide range of legislative, operational and staff recruitment measures, including the creation of new offences of possession of new psychoactive substances and knife possession in prison and action to address violence through the use of body-worn cameras and to improve safeguarding procedures. Notwithstanding these considerable efforts, together with those of staff in prisons striving to keep prisoners and themselves secure and unharmed, overall levels of safety in prisons have not stabilised as the Ministry hoped, let alone improved and continue to deteriorate significantly. We say that this is a matter of great concern, and improvement is urgently needed. Our central recommendation is that the Ministry and NOMS together produce an action plan for improving prison safety, addressing the factors underlying the rises in violence, self-harm and suicide. Of particular concern is a major issue with staff retention which resulted in a net gain of only 440 prison officers last year following the recruitment of 2,250. This is against the fact that there are 7,000 fewer officers than in 2010, when the prison population was about 2,500 lower than it is now. We also say that we wish to receive quarterly reports over the remainder of this Parliament containing data which will enable progress against the plan to be evaluated. We will also continue discussions with HM Inspectorate of Prisons on scrutiny of NOMS' performance in managing prison safety.

Details: London: House of Commons, 2016. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Sixth Report of Session 2015-16, HC 625: Accessed October 19, 2016 at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmselect/cmjust/625/625.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmselect/cmjust/625/625.pdf

Shelf Number: 145897

Keywords:
Prison Administration
Prison Conditions
Prison Violence
Prisons

Author: Zeng, Zhen

Title: Assessing Inmate Cause of Death: Deaths in Custody Reporting Program And National Death Index

Summary: Provides a technical review of the coverage and quality of inmate cause of death data collected under BJS's Deaths in Custody Reporting Program (DCRP). Records of inmates who died in jail and prison from 2007 to 2010 were matched to the National Death Index (NDI). This report examines match rates, compares underlying cause of death, and assesses sources of disagreement between the DCRP and NDI.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2016. 15p.

Source: Internet Resource: Technical Report: Accessed November 15, 2016 at: https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/aicddcrpndi.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/aicddcrpndi.pdf

Shelf Number: 146643

Keywords:
Deaths in Custody
Inmate Deaths
Inmate Homicides
Inmate Suicides
Prison Violence

Author: Skywalker, Luke Lee

Title: Politics of the Number: An Account of Predominent South African Prison Gang Influences

Summary: The study is a contextual account of various factors that facilitate and promote the continued dominance of the 'Number gangs' prevalent in many (if not most) South African prisons. Even though there is a substantial amount of factors that critically influence and sustain the South African prison gangs, this paper will focus upon a few of these influences. An emergent sentiment from exponents within these gangs, and supporting academic literature both argue that these dominant inmate factions are now adapting their mythical credo so as to remain an informal power-player within the scope of a failing South African prison administration. From a managerial perspective, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is often found attempting to give meaningful accounts of itself amidst its failed efforts to transform both itself and the South African prison administration. The policy legislation and administration of DCS thus also contribute to prison gang prominence. The study shows that DCS has embraced a policy of harsher penality, although its official position is that it is transforming into an administration that is focused upon human rights. This paper will thus give brief insight into the prison gangs' organization and operations, and then focus upon various contexts within which the Number gangs continue to be pervasive, especially due to changing prison administrative policy (or lack thereof) and due to new adaptive strategy employed by gangs to make themselves powerbrokers within this contentious penal discourse.

Details: Cape Town, South Africa: University of Cape Town, 2014. 83p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed February 8, 2017 at: https://open.uct.ac.za/bitstream/handle/11427/9095/thesis_law_2014_skywalker_ll.pdf?sequence=1

Year: 2014

Country: South Africa

URL: https://open.uct.ac.za/bitstream/handle/11427/9095/thesis_law_2014_skywalker_ll.pdf?sequence=1

Shelf Number: 146003

Keywords:
Prison Gangs
Prison Violence
Prisons

Author: Gammill, Erica

Title: A Texas-Sized Failure: Sexual Assaults in Texas Prisons

Summary: Every person, including individuals in jail or prison, deserves to be free from sexual violence. Sexual victimization is not included in a prison sentence, and it should not be part of the punishment. States bear legal responsibility under the Constitution and federal law for protecting prisoners in its facilities from sexual violence and other serious harm. Yet, people in prison are at heightened risk of sexual assault. In particular, the State of Texas and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) have failed to protect prisoners in their custody from sexual assaults. Despite more than a decade of federal legislative efforts and oversight by the U.S. Department of Justice—including the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)—the prevalence of sexual assault remains high in Texas prisons. Several prisons in Texas have among the highest rates of sexual victimization in the nation. Regardless of claims that PREA standards are being implemented in Texas prisons, reports from prisoners themselves indicate that sexual assaults in Texas correctional facilities remain a serious problem. The alarming frequency of sexual assault in Texas prisons not only contributes to conditions in Texas facilities that are abhorrent to human dignity, but also violates the constitutional and human rights of prisoners in the TDCJ.

Details: Austin, TX: Prison Justice League and Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, 2016 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2017 at: http://taasa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/BK_A-Texas-Sized-Failure-SA-in-TX-Prisons-Final.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: http://taasa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/BK_A-Texas-Sized-Failure-SA-in-TX-Prisons-Final.pdf

Shelf Number: 147769

Keywords:
Prison Rape
Prison Violence
Sexual Assaults
Sexual Violence

Author: McBride, George

Title: High Stakes: An Inquiry into the Drugs Crisis in English Prisons

Summary: Prisons are in crisis with record levels of suicides, violence and self-harm. Traditional drugs have been replaced by a family of drugs called synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists, generically referred to as 'black mamba' or 'spice.' The government has failed to recognise the important policy implications of these new drugs, and the lack of intelligent drug policy in the new white paper risks undermining the entirety of the proposed prison reforms. This report is the first of its kind bringing together experts in drug and prison policy to examine the implications of the radical shift in prison drug markets and propose pragmatic solutions to reduce drug-related harms and improve prison safety and security. The report reviews the rise to near ubiquity of spice in men's prisons in England. These diverse and multitudinous substances have risen to prominence globally in response to international prohibition of popular illicit substances, in particular cannabis. These new substances have relatively unknown risk profiles and many induce paranoia, behavioural disturbances, violence, seizures and convulsions. They are particularly popular in prisons due to their low cost, difficulty to detect, and "bird [prison sentence] killing" effects. Too little is being done to fight drug demand within prisons. Prisoners are often left unoccupied in their cells for 23 hours a day. Many prisoners are developing drug problems during their incarceration. Overall 8% of men in prison in England and Wales report developing a drug problem since they have been in prison. In prisons with the worst regimes this is as high as 14-16%. This is increasing drug use and the frequency of dangerous incidents, which are a substantial drain on prison staff resources. This feeds a vicious cycle, further draining resources, and is leaving prisoners increasingly unoccupied and under supervised. As staff capacity is reduced this further decreases the ability of prisons to perform essential functions in disrupting the supply of drugs into prisons leaving criminal organisations able to push drugs with impunity. The supply reduction methods proposed in the White Paper are expensive distractions from the real work needed to disrupt criminal supply chains. Proposed extensions to the mandatory drug testing regime will be impracticable with the available resources, only identify a limited range of the drugs in circulation, and fail to assist in identifying those supplying drugs. New sniffer dogs will quickly become obsolete due to the rate of chemical innovation of new substances. We are currently monitoring drug use in prisons through mandatory drug testing and records of seizures. These methods give very little assistance in terms of understanding who is supplying drugs, who is using drugs, what drugs are in circulation, how drugs are getting into prisons, or the level and nature of harm associated with drug use in a given prison. Recommendations: Risk management not zero tolerance – a chasm exists between the prevailing rhetoric and policy reality. In order to manage prisons effectively efforts need to focus on disrupting supply chains, reducing demand for drugs, and improving intelligence-gathering. Reducing drug-related harms makes prisons safer places in which rehabilitation is more effective. Helping addicted drug-users who are willing to change to turn their lives around is proven to reduce re-offending rates. Reduce demand through purposeful activity – There needs to be an acceptance that supply reduction measures are there to disrupt supply, they are not there to eradicate it. A shift of emphasis towards demand reduction is required to make prisons more effective places at tackling problem drug habits and rehabilitating offenders. There is a clear link between a lack of purposeful activity and the uptake of drug use. Busy prison regimes and treatment are more effective than security measures in managing the drug problem in our prisons. The long-held emphasis on supply reduction over demand reduction creates an increased burden on staff, logistical and management difficulties, and associated difficulties in implementing new policies, supporting work, training, education and treatment schemes. These costs too often go uncounted. Overhaul monitoring of drug use – An essential part of effective management is using appropriate, reliable metrics for measuring success and failure. The Ministry of Justice’s recommendations to monitor prisons’ drug policy outcomes via drug testing prisoners on arrival and exit from prison will not provide reliable or useful data. Instead, a system should be implemented to monitor the nature and scale of the drug market and drug-related harms. Regular anonymous audits of drug use and the drug market could provide valuable information from treatment staff, prison officers, current and ex-prisoners. Overhaul monitoring of drug supply and security – Current supply-reduction and security measures are not grounded in evidence. New proposed measures focus on drones and visitors when there is no evidence that these are the primary sources of supply. There is evidence suggesting corrupt staff may be a major source of supply. Evidence gathering is needed on drug seizures to assist in determining their providence, as well as a new regional task force within the Prison Service to oversee periodic spot checks and searches of staff. Improve staff to prisoner ratio – Overseeing busy prison routines and effective treatment is a labour-intensive endeavour with no quick-fix technological solutions. In order to bring about this reform we need a better staff to prisoner ratio. To do so means that we need to either substantially reduce the prison population or substantially increase prison funding. Reducing the prison population likely has both fiscal and outcome benefits by reducing the use of a costly and ineffective intervention.

Details: London: Volteface, 2016. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: http://volteface.me/app/uploads/2017/01/High-Stakes-A4-Printed-Booklet-Final-Version-1.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://volteface.me/app/uploads/2017/01/High-Stakes-A4-Printed-Booklet-Final-Version-1.pdf

Shelf Number: 144834

Keywords:
Drug Abuse and Addiction
Drug Control
Drug Control Policy
Drug Offenders
Drug Use in Prison
Prison Contraband
Prison Policy
Prison Violence

Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Title: Handbook on the Management of Violent Extremist Prisoners and the Prevention of Radicalization to Violence in Prisons

Summary: This Handbook is one of a series of tools developed by UNODC to support Member States in the implementation of the rule of law and the development of criminal justice reform. It is designed to be used by prison managers and prison staff, in particular, but will also be relevant for other actors involved in the criminal justice system, such as policymakers, legislators and members of non-governmental organizations. It can be used in a variety of contexts, both as a reference document and as the basis for staff training. While some elements of the Handbook may not be achievable immediately in some jurisdictions, particularly in post-conflict situations, the Handbook provides national authorities with guidelines for the development of policies and protocols that meet international standards and good practice. This Handbook constitutes the first technical guidance tool to addresses the manifestation of radicalization to violence and violent extremism in prison settings at the level of the United Nations. It provides practical guidance on: • The management of violent extremist prisoners (prisoners who have embraced violent extremism) • Preventing the progression to violent extremism in prisons (prisoners who may be vulnerable to radicalization to violence) • Interventions aimed at disengaging violent extremist prisoners from violence and at facilitating their social reintegration upon release. Within these parts, the Handbook covers key prison management policies and mechanisms, such as the need for: overall prison conditions to be in line with international minimum standards; effective assessment and classification systems; physical, procedural and dynamic security; professional prison staff training; fair, humane and non-discriminatory treatment; preventing corruption; various categories of disengagement interventions involving experts from different disciplines; and social reintegration and post-release support. Overall, the Handbook advocates an approach aimed at strengthening these key components of prison management. Not only is such an approach explicitly called for in the international good practice documents, it also provides value by creating sustainable benefits for the entire prison system. The following considerations summarize the key principles underlying all recommendations made in the Handbook: • Adherence to fundamental rights, international standards, and good prison practice: It is crucial that any efforts in prison to address violent extremism must not lead to undermining human rights to which all persons, including violent extremist prisoners, are entitled. Under international human rights law, no exceptions or restrictions are permissible to the prohibition of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Equally relevant is the protection of the right to hold an opinion and to have or adopt a religion or belief of one’s choice,1 although certain manifestations may be subject to limitations, if strictly necessary and provided by law (e.g. for the protection of public order or the respect of others’ rights). At the same time, Member States should prohibit by law any propaganda for war and any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. • Relevance of overall prison conditions and prison management: Guidance on the management of violent extremist prisoners and the prevention of radicalization to violence in prisons must ensure that any proposed intervention is closely embedded in broader prison reform efforts. Stand-alone disengagement interventions, which are implemented in isolation of the broader prison context are unlikely to yield positive results, in particular if the latter fails to adhere to international standards and norms. Vulnerability to radicalization to violence is exacerbated in prisons that are overcrowded, understaffed, fail to provide basic services to prisoners, or are otherwise managed in a disorderly manner. • The importance of definitions and differentiation: This Handbook reiterates that prisoner radicalization, far from being a new phenomenon, is a very old issue which is not in itself a threat to the prison administration or society if not connected to violence. Not all radicalization is negative or a precursor to violent extremism. Only a very small number of radicals actually become violent extremists. Definitions and differentiation are important, therefore, when dealing with the sensitive topic of (violent) extremism and radicalization (to violence), in particular in order to differentiate between thought and action. • Specific challenges posed by violent extremist prisoners: The above notwithstanding, prison managers should not forget that while both violent extremists and other criminals may employ violence to attain specific goals, most violent extremists are motivated by ideological, religious, or political gain, and believe that they are fighting for a cause. This can have a significant impact on the way violent extremist prisoners should be managed, as this Handbook will set out. The focus of this Handbook is on adult male and female violent extremist prisoners. The specific issue of children alleged as, accused of, or recognized as having committed violent extremist offences will be dealt with in a separate UNODC publication, recognizing the different legal regime applicable to children deprived of their liberty. Collective disengagement from violent extremism is also not covered in this Handbook, as its focus is on the individual prisoner and interventions aimed at individual disengagement from violence. Groups may also abandon their use of violent methods, but the reasons for them doing so are not necessarily the same as when an individual disengages from violence.

Details: New York: UNODC, 2016. 160p.

Source: Internet Resource: Criminal Justice Handbook Series; Accessed March 2, 2017 at: https://www.unodc.org/pdf/criminal_justice/Handbook_on_VEPs.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: International

URL: https://www.unodc.org/pdf/criminal_justice/Handbook_on_VEPs.pdf

Shelf Number: 141300

Keywords:
Correctional Administration
Extremist Groups
Extremist Prisoners
Extremists
Prison Violence
Radical Groups
Radicalization

Author: Dudley, Steven

Title: The Prison Dilemma: Latin America's Incubators of Organized Crime

Summary: Prisons in Latin America and the Caribbean are in crisis. Following a concerted change in legislation that led to more hardline policies, the prison population has skyrocketed and the development of new facilities has not kept pace. The massive overcrowding has created many more problems than incarcerating suspects en masse has resolved. Those incarcerated -- thousands of whom have not even been formally charged with a crime -- live in deplorable, inhumane conditions that leave them vulnerable to coercion and recruitment by ever-more sophisticated criminal gangs. Prison guards, and their police and military counterparts, routinely abuse prisoners and take part in corruption schemes that open the door for more crime. The jails have also become incubators of criminal activity; finishing schools for hardened criminals and places where powerful criminal groups organize, train up their members, recruit and plan further crimes. Many who enter as relatively low-level, non-violent criminals leave as hard-core recidivists. Nevertheless, governments -- while fortifying efforts to capture and prosecute at historic rates -- have been slow to react to the changing circumstances within the jails, leaving space for criminal groups to strengthen themselves, hampering efforts to improve citizen security region-wide and undermining democratic governance.banner download The-prison-dilemma Amidst this chaos, InSight Crime has found during a year-long investigation that numerous types of prison gangs have emerged. • The Inside Prison Gang is formed and functions under the logic of the prison; it frequently controls the most important criminal economies within the jails, such as liquor contraband and illegal drugs. • The Inside/Outside Prison Gang is the most formidable of prison gangs because it exploits the vulnerabilities of the prison system to develop criminal operations both inside and outside of the prisons. • The Insurgent Prison Gang is one that uses its ideology and discipline to exert control over the prison population, often in the interest of furthering its political cause. • The Drug Trafficking Prison Gang uses its huge influx of capital, connections and muscle to dominate the prison drug economy and, in some cases, monitor drug trafficking activities on the outside as well. • The Mara Prison Gang is formidable due to both its size and its ethos: that of exterminating its rival. The propensity of violence between gangs has moved authorities to separate them, thereby inadvertently accelerating their development. • The Military Prison Gang is a mix of ex security forces, which uses its connections and training to control prison economies and, in some cases, much more. To address the issue of prisons, InSight Crime investigated these conditions and the crime they are fostering in Venezuela and Colombia, as well as the Northern Triangle region of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. And it produced a series of case studies on each of these countries, which it is publishing separately. This report is an overview of these findings and a series of recommendations to help remedy some of these problems.

Details: s.l.: Insight Crime, 2017. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 10, 2017 at: http://www.insightcrime.org/images/PDFs/2017/The_Prison_Dilemma-Latin_Americas_Incubators_of_Organized_Crime_InSightcrime.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Latin America

URL: http://www.insightcrime.org/images/PDFs/2017/The_Prison_Dilemma-Latin_Americas_Incubators_of_Organized_Crime_InSightcrime.pdf

Shelf Number: 144436

Keywords:
Criminal Networks
Organized Crime
Prison Gangs
Prison Violence
Prisons

Author: Human Rights Watch

Title: "The State Let Evil Take Over": The Prison Crisis in the Brazilian State of Pernambuco

Summary: Brazil's prisons are a human-rights disaster. Detainees—even those who have not been convicted of a crime—are routinely held in overcrowded, violent, and disease-ridden cells. Overcrowding in the prisons of the northeastern state of Pernambuco is especially dire. The prisons hold more than three times as many inmates as their official capacity in conditions that are dangerous, unhealthy, and inhumane. During visits to Pernambuco's prisons in 2015, a researcher from Human Rights Watch entered a windowless cell without beds, in which 37 men slept on sheets on the floor. Another, which had six cement bunks for 60 men, lacked even enough floor space. A tangle of makeshift hammocks made it difficult to cross the room, and one man was sleeping sitting up, tying himself to the bars of the door so that he wouldn’t slump over onto other men. In that cell, the stench of sweat, feces and mold was overpowering. Poor sanitation and ventilation, combined with overcrowding and lack of adequate medical care, allow disease to spread among inmates. The prevalence of HIV infection in Pernambuco's prisons is 42 times that of the general population; the prevalence of tuberculosis is almost 100 times that of the general population. Prison clinics are understaffed, medication is scarce, and ill detainees are often not taken to hospitals for lack of police escort. The prisons in Pernambuco are severely short-staffed, with fewer than one guard for every 30 prisoners, the worst ratio in Brazil, where the average ratio is one for every eight, according to official data. Brazil’s Ministry of Justice considers appropriate a ratio of one guard to every five prisoners. At one prison in Pernambuco that holds 2,300 inmates—a "semi-open" facility where some inmates are allowed to come and go for work—only four guards are on duty during each shift, its director told Human Rights Watch. The extreme overcrowding and lack of sufficient staff make it impossible for prison authorities to exercise adequate official control within the prison grounds. In response, they have adopted a practice of delegating authority to a single inmate within each pavilion—fenced-in areas within the prison walls that usually contain multiple cell blocks and more than 100 inmates. The chosen inmates are commonly referred to as "keyholders" because they are given the keys to the pavilion and the cells within, and tasked with maintaining order inside. Prison staff retain control only outside the pavilions. The keyholders sell drugs, extort payments from fellow prisoners, and require them to pay for places to sleep, according to current and former detainees, family members, and two state officials Human Rights Watch interviewed. They deploy "militias" made up of other inmates to threaten and beat those who do not pay their debts or who question their rule. Prison officials either turn a blind eye or participate in the keyholders' rackets and receive kickbacks, according to several interviewees, including a prison director. Extreme overcrowding also puts detainees at risk of sexual violence. Human Rights Watch interviewed two detainees who said they were gang raped and reported the attacks to guards who ignored them. In one of the cases, an investigation was opened only after a representative of the state’s Human Rights Ombudsman's Office pressed the authorities to take action. The other case was never investigated, according to the victim. A major factor contributing to overcrowding in Pernambuco's prisons has been the failure to provide detainees with “custody hearings.” These hearings, in which a detainee appears before a judge promptly after being arrested, are required under international law but have not—until recently—been provided to detainees in Pernambuco or most other states in Brazil. The hearings allow a judge to make an informed determination about whether a detainee should be held or released pending trial and also to examine detainees for evidence of police brutality. Without custody hearings, detainees waiting to see a judge for the first time may spend many months in overcrowded cells. On August 14, 2015, Pernambuco began providing custody hearings to detainees allegedly caught in the act of committing a crime in Recife, the state capital. With this new policy, Pernambuco joins a growing number of states that have begun holding custody hearings with the assistance of the National Council of Justice. A previously published Human Rights Watch study of a similar program in the state of Maranhão found that custody hearings helped prevent the unlawful arbitrary imprisonment of suspected nonviolent offenders while they awaited trial. From October 2014 to March 2015, when judges held custody hearings, they released about 60 percent of arrestees on the grounds that pretrial detention was not warranted. By contrast, when they decided primarily on the basis of police reports without seeing the arrestee, judges released pretrial suspects only about 10 percent of the time. Nearly 60 percent of the nearly 32,000 people held in Pernambuco's prisons have not been convicted of a crime. Suspects accused of such non-violent crimes as possessing small amounts of drugs or of minor theft are frequently held in the same cells as convicted large-scale drug dealers and gang members. The practice of incarcerating pre-trial detainees with convicted criminals violates international and Brazilian law. Severe delays in judicial processing of cases violate the rights of detainees and fuel prison overcrowding. One man spent six years in a Pernambuco prison, pre-trial, without ever seeing a judge for any kind of hearing; another was held in prison a decade beyond completing his sentence, according to the state's Public Defender's Office, which filed habeas corpus petitions to get both men released.

Details: New York: HRW, 2015. 37p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2017 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/news_attachments/brazil1015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Brazil

URL: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/news_attachments/brazil1015.pdf

Shelf Number: 144512

Keywords:
Human Rights Abuses
Inmates
Prison Conditions
Prison Overcrowding
Prison Violence
Prisoners
Prisons

Author: Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform

Title: A More Just New York City

Summary: In her 2016 State of the City address, New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito called for fundamental criminal justice reform. Titling her speech "More Justice," Mark-Viverito announced the creation of an independent commission to explore "how we can get the population of Rikers [Island] to be so small that the dream of shutting it down becomes a reality." The Speaker appointed former New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman to chair the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform. Under Judge Lippman's leadership, 27 commissioners were selected, including leaders in business, philanthropy, academia, law, and social services, as well as those with personal experience being held on Rikers Island. Several organizations from the non-profit and private sectors were engaged to provide research and strategic support, including the Center for Court Innovation, Latham & Watkins LLP, Vera Institute of Justice, CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance, Forest City Ratner Companies, Global Strategy Group, and HR&A Advisors. To ensure its independence, the Commission relied on philanthropic support, taking no money from government or political entities. For more than one year, the Commission has studied the City’s criminal justice system, and Rikers Island in particular. In addition to gathering formal testimony and interviewing a wide range of experts—city officials, corrections staff, formerly incarcerated New Yorkers and their families, prosecutors, defense attorneys, clergy, service providers, advocates, and others—the Commission undertook a far-reaching community engagement process, including meetings with the faith community, design workshops, public roundtables throughout the City, and a website to solicit public input. The Commission also performed in-depth data analysis and evaluated model programs and practices from across the country and around the world. Jail in New York City The presumption of innocence is one of the foundations of the American legal system. Yet on any given day, three-quarters of the roughly 9,700 people held in New York City’s jails are awaiting the outcome of their case, nearly all of them because they cannot afford bail. These individuals have been found guilty of no crime. Research shows that incarceration begets incarceration. Spending time behind bars also begets other problems, including eviction, unemployment, and family dysfunction. These burdens fall disproportionately on communities of color. On any given day, nine out of ten people being held behind bars in New York City are either Black (55 percent) or Latino (34 percent). The vast majority of those incarcerated in New York City, more than 7,500, are housed in nine jails located on Rikers Island (the rest are held in smaller facilities around the City). Many of these facilities are falling apart. And many lack the kinds of basic services, including air conditioning and space for social services, that are essential to a modern correctional system. This creates a toxic environment for everyone—both those being held and those doing the guarding. The Commission heard multiple reports of mistreatment on Rikers Island, ranging from small, daily humiliations to occasional acts of shocking brutality. Much of this testimony confirmed the stark conclusion of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan: there is a deep-seat- ed culture of violence on Rikers Island. Another problem is physical isolation. Rikers Island is located far from the City’s courthouses and neighborhoods. It is accessible only by a narrow bridge. The Department of Correction spends $31 million annually transporting defendants back and forth to courthouses and appointments off the Island. Visiting a loved one on Rikers can take an entire day, forcing people to miss work and make costly arrangements for child care. Rikers's inaccessibility also presents challenges for the men and women who work there. The Commission heard from corrections officers who slept in their cars between shifts rather than travel home to be with their families. Perhaps most importantly, Rikers's isolation encourages an "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" dynamic, to the detriment of all parties. Rikers Island essentially functions as an expensive penal colony. The Commission has estimated that the annual price of housing someone in a New York City jail is $247,000. The costs, both moral and financial, of this arrangement might be readily borne by New York City taxpayers if there were compelling evidence that it helped to keep the City safe. But no such evidence exists. For more than 20 years, New York City has successfully driven down both crime and incarceration, a trend which has continued under Mayor Bill de Blasio. The City has proven that more jail does not equal more public safety. Indeed, an emerging body of research suggests that jail can actually undermine public safety, encouraging criminal behavior and undermining the stability of families and communities.

Details: New York: The Commission, 2017. 150p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 3, 2017 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/577d72ee2e69cfa9dd2b7a5e/t/58e0d7c08419c29a7b1f2da8/1491130312339/Independent+Commission+Final+Report.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United States

URL: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/577d72ee2e69cfa9dd2b7a5e/t/58e0d7c08419c29a7b1f2da8/1491130312339/Independent+Commission+Final+Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 144694

Keywords:
Criminal Justice Reform
Jails
Prison Condition
Prison Violence
Rikers Island

Author: Council of Europe

Title: Report to the Government of the United Kingdom on the visit to the United Kingdom carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)

Summary: The CPT's 2016 periodic visit to the United Kingdom provided an opportunity to review the treatment of persons held in adult and juvenile prisons and police custody in England for the first time since 2008. It also looked at immigration detention. Further, the visit had a specific focus on in-patient adult psychiatry and medium and high secure forensic psychiatry establishments in England. A good level of co-operation was received from both the national authorities and the staff at the establishments visited. However, on a few occasions, access to places of detention was delayed, and the CPT underlines that better coordination is needed to ensure that access to all establishments is rapid and information about the Committee's mandate is disseminated more widely. More generally, in light of the principle of co-operation, the CPT trusts that prompt and effective action is now taken to address long-standing recommendations such as prison overcrowding. Law enforcement agencies The CPT's delegation found that most people deprived of their liberty by the police were treated in a correct manner. It did, however, receive some allegations of verbal abuse from officers towards detained persons at the moment of apprehension and during transport to custody suites and of handcuffs being applied excessively tightly at the time of arrest. The CPT recommends that the United Kingdom authorities make it clear that verbal abuse towards detained persons is unacceptable and that handcuffs should never be applied excessively tightly. The CPT notes that there appeared to be no uniform approach to the use of means of restraint across the 43 police forces in England and Wales and it recommends that the safety of the use of 'spit helmets', velcro fixation straps and Emergency Response Belts in police custody suites be reviewed. Moreover, the CPT recommends that 'Pava' spray should not form part of the standard equipment of custodial staff and should not be used in confined spaces. In general, persons deprived of their liberty by the police were afforded the safeguards laid down in PACE Code C. However, several deficiencies were observed such as a protection vacuum when arrested persons had to wait for up to two hours in holding rooms before their detention was formally authorised and before they were informed of their rights by custody sergeants. The CPT recommends that all detained persons should be fully informed of their rights as from the very outset of their deprivation of liberty (and thereafter of any authorised delay) and current deficiencies impeding the complete recording of the fact of a person's detention should be rectified. Access to a lawyer and a doctor or nurse was generally being facilitated promptly in all police establishments visited. However, there was a lack of respect for lawyer-client confidentiality during consultation by telephone at Southwark and Doncaster Police Stations. As regards custody records, the CPT recommends that whenever a person is deprived of their liberty this fact is formally and accurately recorded without delay and without misrepresentation as to the location of custody, which was not the case at the TACT suite at Paddington Green Police Station. The material conditions of the custody cells in the police establishments visited were generally of a good standard. There was, however, a lack of access to natural light in many cells and most establishments visited were not equipped with proper exercise yards. The conditions at Paddington Green 'TACT' Suite, in particular, were inadequate and needed upgrading. Adult and juvenile prisons The CPT welcomes the recent recognition of the need for profound reform of the prison system at the highest political level. The CPT's delegation discussed the nature and scope of the prison reform agenda with the authorities, where it stressed the problem of violence in prisons. In the view of the CPT, taking resolute action to tackle the problem of violence in prisons in England and Wales is a prerequisite for the successful implementation of other elements of the authorities' reform agenda. The CPT recalls that the adverse effects of overcrowding and lack of purposeful regime have been repeatedly highlighted by the Committee since 1990. Over the last 25 years, the prison population has nearly doubled, and almost all adult prisons now operate at or near full operational capacity and well above their certified normal capacity. The CPT emphasises that unless determined action is taken to significantly reduce the current prison population, the regime improvements envisaged by the authorities' reform agenda will remain unattainable. The CPT's delegation received almost no complaints about physical ill-treatment of inmates by staff in the prisons visited. Nevertheless, it did receive a few complaints about verbal abuse and observed tense relations between staff and inmates. It was, however, deeply concerned by the amount of severe generalised violence evident in each of the prisons visited, notably inter-prisoner violence and attacks by prisoners on staff. Injuries to both prisoners and staff, documented over the previous three months, included inter alia cases of scalding water being thrown over victims and 'shank' (make-shift knife) wounds, and frequently required hospitalisation and in one case resulted in the death of an inmate. The CPT examined the violence through the prism of three criteria: recording incidents of violence, responding to such incidents and specific measures taken to reduce violence. Despite the considerable number of instruments established to capture data regarding violent incidents, there were systemic and structural weaknesses in the documentation process. At both Doncaster and Pentonville Prisons, the delegation gained the impression that the actual number of violent incidents appreciably exceeded the number recorded. This issue appeared to be particularly acute at Doncaster Prison, where the delegation established that some violent incidents had either not been recorded or recorded as being less serious than they were in practice. Moreover, the delegation observed first-hand that violent incidents were not always reported by staff. While the number of recorded violent incidents at all prisons visited was alarmingly high, the CPT believes that these figures under-record the actual number of incidents and consequently fail to afford a true picture of the severity of the situation. Further, inmates at both Doncaster and Pentonville Prisons complained that staff responded slowly to violent incidents. This fuelled a feeling of fear and a perception of a lack of safety among inmates. The consequence was a lack of trust in the staff's ability to maintain prisoner safety. As a start, the CPT recommends that the time taken to respond to inmates' call bells be improved. The CPT is also not convinced of the effectiveness of the specific ongoing measures initiated to reduce and prevent violence and recommends that a far greater investment in preventing violence be undertaken. The CPT's findings in the establishments visited indicate that the duty of care to protect prisoners was not always being discharged given the apparent lack of effective action to reduce the high levels of violence. The cumulative effect of certain systemic failings was that none of the establishments visited could be considered safe for prisoners or staff. The CPT recommends that concrete measures be taken to bring prisons back under the effective control of staff, reversing the recent trends of escalating violence. At Cookham Wood YOI, the high levels of violence were managed primarily through locking juveniles up for long periods of time, on occasion for up to 23.5 hours per day; greater investment in establishing more small specialised units to manage juveniles with complex needs should be made. The CPT underlines that many aspects of prison life are negatively affected by the state of overcrowding in the prison system. For example, living conditions in the prisons visited, in particular Pentonville Prison, were adversely affected by the chronic overcrowding: cells originally designed for one prisoner now hold two. Equally, overcrowding also significantly affects the regime. The delegation found that the regimes in all prison establishments visited were inadequate, with a considerable number of prisoners spending up to 22 hours per day locked up in their cells. Many inmates stated that the long lock-up times contributed to a sense of frustration. The CPT recommends that steps be taken to ensure that inmates attend education and purposeful activities on a daily basis, with the aim that all inmates on a normal regime spend at least eight hours out-of-cell. At Cookham Wood YOI, juveniles on a normal regime spent on average only five hours out of their cells each day. The situation was particularly austere for those juveniles who were placed on 'separation' lists (denoted by vivid pink stickers of 'do not unlock' on their cell doors), who could spend up to 23.5 hours a day locked up alone in their cells. In the CPT's view, holding juveniles in such conditions amounts to inhuman and degrading treatment and all juveniles should be provided with a purposeful regime and considerably more time of cell than is currently the case. As regards the provision of health-care in the prisons visited, the delegation noted that health-care staffing levels were, with a few exceptions, adequate and there was generally good medical documentation of injuries. Medical screening of prisoners upon arrival was of a good quality and carried out promptly. That said, medical confidentiality was not always respected. For example, medication was given to prisoners in corridors or dispensed through a hatch in view of other prisoners. Also prisoners continued to be systematically handcuffed during hospital transfers; the CPT reiterates that handcuffs should only be applied after an individualised risk assessment. Delays in prisoners with mental-health problems being transferred to psychiatric hospitals, in some cases for several months, remain a problem. Further, the placement of prisoners with acute mental health conditions in segregation units is inappropriate. The CPT recommends that prisoners suffering from severe mental illnesses are transferred immediately to an appropriate mental health facility. In this connection, high priority should be given to increasing the number of beds in psychiatric hospitals to ensure that in-patient health-care units, such as the one at Pentonville Prison, do not become a substitute for the transfer of a patient to a dedicated facility. Further, all prison staff should be trained to recognise the major symptoms of mental ill-health and understand referral procedures.

Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2017. 102p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2017 at: https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168070a773

Year: 2017

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168070a773

Shelf Number: 145160

Keywords:
Correctional Health
Human Rights
Juvenile Detention Centers
Mental Health Services
Police Behavior
Policing
Prison Conditions
Prison Violence

Author: Carr, Nicola

Title: Out on the Inside: The Rights, Experiences and Needs of LGBT People in Prison

Summary: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people have long been a 'hidden' or overlooked population in prisons, both in Ireland and internationally. In recent years, however, international research and policy has begun to focus on the experiences and needs of this group of prisoners. This research, as summarised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC, 2009) has revealed a range of issues that affect LGBT individuals in prison. This includes hetero-normativity, homophobia and transphobia both within and outside prison, the threat of physical and sexual violence within prison, institutional discrimination and neglect, health needs, and social isolation. The Yogyakarta Principles (ICJ, 2007), a set of standards which apply human rights law to issues of sexual orientation and gender identity, specifically address the need to adequately meet the rights of LGBT people in detention. This includes the need to provide adequate placements, appropriate protective measures and access to medical care. These principles also emphasise the importance of independent monitoring of detention facilities by the State, as well as by non-governmental organisations working in the areas of sexual orientation and gender identity. The recent passage of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act (2014), which sets out the positive duties of public bodies to eliminate discrimination, promote equality and protect human rights, adds further impetus to address this area. This report represents the first study of the needs and experiences of LGBT prisoners within the Irish context - The themes raised are drawn from considerations of human rights and equality, and placed within the context of international literature and policy, although the limitations of transferability are noted

Details: Dublin: Irish Penal Reform Trust, 2016. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 19, 2017 at: http://www.iprt.ie/files/IPRT_Out_on_the_Inside_2016_EMBARGO_TO_1030_Feb_02_2016.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Ireland

URL: http://www.iprt.ie/files/IPRT_Out_on_the_Inside_2016_EMBARGO_TO_1030_Feb_02_2016.pdf

Shelf Number: 145637

Keywords:
Inmates
LGBT People
Prison Violence
Prisoners

Author: U.S. National Institute of Justice

Title: Restricting Housing in the U.S.: Issues, Challenges, and Future Directions

Summary: Given the current environment, it is clear that the work being carried out by officials in law enforcement, courts, and corrections is changing rapidly. This makes our work at NIJ even more critical and vital to the criminal justice community. NIJ is proud to have supported the National Academies' report, The Growth of Incarceration in the United States: Exploring Causes and Consequences, which presents the blueprint for expanding an evidence base in areas such as the impact of incarceration on justice-involved individuals, on their children and families, and on how the incarceration experience shapes their way of life and re-entry process. Consistent with this line of inquiry, institutional corrections, and more specifically restrictive housing and other strategies that facilities use to manage and control incarcerated individuals, have become a national priority for President Obama, DOJ, and corrections administrators at the federal, state, and local levels. Restrictive housing, commonly known as solitary confinement or administrative segregation, is a common practice in corrections. A recent national estimate by the Bureau of Justice Statistics reveals that as many as one in five individuals has spent time in restrictive housing while in jail or prison. Despite its use throughout facilities nationwide, we lack the scientific evidence to convey how corrections administrators use this strategy and its impact on incarcerated individuals, staff, and the organizational climate. While there are claims that this correctional strategy increases the safety and well-being of staff and inmates, there is increasing concern about its potential over-use and its effects on incarcerated individuals, especially those with mental illness. To launch NIJ's dedicated strategic investment in this area, we held a two-day convening on October 22 and 23, 2015, composed of a diverse group of more than 80 experts from federal, state, and local corrections agencies, advocacy groups, academia, and research organizations. This group convened to discuss (1) what we know and don't know about the inmates who are put into this type of housing; (2) the relationship between institutional violence and restrictive housing; (3) issues related to the mental health of inmates, officer and inmate safety and wellness, civil rights, and safe alternatives to restrictive housing; and (4) the gaps in data collection efforts and the existing empirical literature. Throughout the two days, attendees discussed the research gaps in restrictive housing and debated the multiple policy and practice concerns that currently exist. NIJ greatly appreciates these experts' participation as they shared their individual perspectives and contributed to identifying how best to move forward in developing restrictive housing policies and practices that are grounded in science. Certainly, the most comprehensive understanding of restrictive housing can only come when we consider the various facets that characterize its use and impact and consider how these issues affect our theoretical and practical understanding of this correctional practice. With this goal in mind, this volume includes 10 chapters on restrictive housing, each with a distinct focus and written by leading experts from various disciplines including criminology, psychology, sociology, and law. The volume represents the most comprehensive review to date of emerging issues and concerns surrounding restrictive housing, including the roles that gangs, violence, and mental health play in the management of individuals in restrictive housing. Most importantly, readers of this volume will also find a strong focus on the conceptual and empirical challenges we face in addressing restrictive housing. One critical conceptual challenge that readers will notice throughout the volume is the way authors use different, sometimes contradictory, terms to define and discuss this practice. Some authors use terms such as administrative segregation and restrictive housing interchangeably, while other authors carefully differentiate such terms to highlight critical nuances regarding this practice. As a whole, these chapters offer an innovative perspective for guiding future research in this area and ensuring that our efforts have a strong scientific foundation. Individually, the chapters present an in-depth review of the important features that characterize restrictive housing.

Details: Washington, DC: NIJ, 2016. 420p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 24, 2017 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/250315.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/250315.pdf

Shelf Number: 146368

Keywords:
Administrative Segregation
Isolation
Prison Violence
Prisoner Misconduct
Restrictive Housing
Solitary Confinement

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services

Title: Assaults on staff in Western Australian prisons

Summary: On any given day, there are over 5000 prisoners in Western Australia and the majority are there because of violent or high risk behaviour in the community, often associated with health and social issues. This means that prison staff face significant challenges on a daily basis. Positively, despite the potential risks, this review found that assaults on prison staff are relatively infrequent and that serious violence is rare. These findings indicate that staff who work in prisons are often skilled in dealing with volatile situations, including where prisoners are agitated or distressed, or during high risk activities such as escorts or restraints. This is a tribute both to the staff and to the Department of Corrective Services as a whole. However, the nature and circumstances of the assaults hold some learning opportunities and challenges. This report identifies a number of factors that contribute to assaults on staff and makes a series of recommendations designed to improve safety. Rates of assault Across the state, there were 414 recorded incidents of staff assault during the five years covered by this review, an average of 7 to 8 assaults per month. Obviously, staff safety is a high priority, and every assault is of concern, but the figures need to be placed in the context of the total imprisonment rate: each month our prisons hold prisoners for more than 150,000 'prisoner days'. The figures also need to be placed in the context of what is being recorded, a point well illustrated by data from September 2013. That month, there was a distinct spike in assaults, with 24 recorded cases, three times more than the average. However, almost a third of these assaults were committed by the same woman, in three incidents, over two days at Bandyup Women's Prison. Two mornings in a row, she threw her breakfast at a staff member, each incident constituting an assault. The third incident occurred later on the second day. She was under escort after a visit to a mental health nurse and lashed out at staff, punching, scratching and kicking them. Five staff members sustained scratches and bruises and because there were five victims, five assaults were recorded. This illustrates how quickly the assault rate can rise based on the behaviour of certain individuals or the presence of multiple staff in a single incident. It also shows that generalised counts and records do not reflect the particular circumstances in which assaults occur or the type of behaviour involved. Serious, targeted violence towards staff is rare. 'Serious assaults' are defined by the Department of Corrective Services as assaults where physical injuries are sustained requiring ongoing medical treatment or overnight hospitalisation. There were 22 serious assaults over the five year period covered by this review, an average of one per quarter.

Details: Perth, Western Australia : Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2014. 63p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2017 at: http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/publications/tabledpapers.nsf/displaypaper/3912001a7310a896b06645fa48257d550029f34b/$file/2001.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/publications/tabledpapers.nsf/displaypaper/3912001a7310a896b06645fa48257d550029f34b/$file/2001.pdf

Shelf Number: 147157

Keywords:
Corrections Officers
Prison Guards
Prison Violence
Prisons

Author: Police Foundation

Title: Final Report: Independent Review of Security Issues at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center

Summary: On February 1, 2017, the State of Delaware was confronted by the news of an ongoing incident in which inmates housed in the C-Building at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JTVCC), seized the building and took hostages. The seizure of the building resulted in the death of one correctional sergeant; injuries sustained by two other correctional officers; one non-custodial staff member being taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons; and, allegations of inmate injuries. On February 14, 2017, Governor John Carney issued an Executive Order establishing an Independent Review Team to investigate and report on "any conditions at the James T. Vaughn Center that contributed to the hostage situation on February 1, 2017." In response to the Executive Order, the Independent Review Team conducted interviews with correctional, educational, mental health and medical staff, including correctional supervisors, JTVCC administrators, and Delaware Department of Correction (DOC) executive administrators past and present. The Team also reviewed numerous letters from inmates and family members, spoke with community and inmates' rights groups, and interviewed other agency representatives. The Independent Review Team also visited the JTVCC, including the C-Building, observed grievance proceedings, and spoke with inmates individually and in focus groups. The Team also conducted in depth research through review and analysis of policy, training and other departmental documentation; open source media searches; and identification and gap analysis of national corrections and behavioral health best and promising practices. Collectively, the Independent Review Team conducted a comprehensive and thorough review and analysis of the facts and circumstances leading up to the incident that began on February 1, 2017. On June 1, 2017, the Independent Review Team issued a Preliminary Report concerning the causes and conditions leading up to the incident that began on February 1, 2017. Since June 1, 2017, the Independent Review Team conducted further interviews and assessments. This Final Report expands upon the Preliminary Report. It addresses actions taken by the JTVCC, the DOC, and the State of Delaware since February 2017, and contains specific recommendations to prevent, or at least minimize, the likelihood of another similar event. The tragic incident that began on February 1, 2017 in the C-Building of the JTVCC could have occurred elsewhere in the facility. Factors unique to that particular building, however, resulted in the incident occurring there. For some period of time, conditions at the JTVCC had deteriorated to the point that there was unrest among inmates, and distrust between inmates and correctional officers, as well as between correctional officers and JTVCC administrators. Factors giving rise to this unrest included adverse working conditions for the correctional officers, who continue to feel unappreciated by the administration, inconsistently implemented rules and regulations, an inmate grievance procedure deemed unfair, a distrusted medical/mental health system, and a real lack of morale permeating the line officers. The conditions set forth in this report created an environment in which an occurrence like the incident that began on February 1, 2017 would have likely occurred at some point somewhere within the JTVCC. However, the mix of inmates flowing down from maximum to medium security and inmates flowing up from medium towards maximum security in the C-Building and the circumstances giving rise to that mix, as more specifically set forth in the body of the report, hastened the inevitable. Most unfortunately, the Independent Review Team believes that had the request for the removal of certain inmates from the C-Building - made on January 20, 2017 by the very correctional officer who was killed during the incident that began on February 1, 2017 - been taken more seriously and carried out, the incident and the resulting death may not have occurred. As tragic as the unnecessary loss of life is, the incident that began on February 1, 2017 spearheaded long overdue changes in the DOC that will hopefully result in better working conditions for the correctional officers and professional staff as well as living conditions for inmates. Work remains to be done and recommendations are made herein. Lastly, the Independent Review Team commends Governor Carney for his immediate action in requesting this review and already addressing some of the most pressing problems facing the DOC.

Details: Dover, DE: Governor's Office, State of Delaware, 2017. 159p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2017 at: http://governor.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2017/08/JTVCC-Independent-Review-Team-FINAL-Report-1.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United States

URL: http://governor.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2017/08/JTVCC-Independent-Review-Team-FINAL-Report-1.pdf

Shelf Number: 147467

Keywords:
Correctional Administration
Hostages
Prison Administration
Prison Conditions
Prison Riots
Prison Violence

Author: Police Foundation

Title: Preliminary Report: Independent Review of Security Issues at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center

Summary: The James T. Vaughn Correctional Center is the only adult, male correctional center run by the State of Delaware that houses minimum, medium, and maximum security inmates, as well as pre-trial detainees. On Wednesday, February 1, 2017, inmates housed in C-building of the JTVCC took control of the unit and held staff hostage. The hostage situation lasted into the early hours of Thursday, February 2, ultimately resulting in the death of one correctional officer and injury to other corrections personnel. The February 1-2, 2017, hostage incident at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JTVCC) ended after almost 15 hours, but the investigation into the event continues. Existing security issues within the facility that may have served as precursors to the incident remain to be addressed. The purpose of this Independent Review is to "review the events surrounding the hostage incident and related security issues at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center." This preliminary report provides an initial overview of policies, procedures, practices and technology at the JTVCC, and within the DOC, that could have contributed to the incident. In addition, the report recommends actions that, if taken, may prevent a similar incident, as well as improve the safety, security, and operations of the JTVCC and the DOC. A final report is scheduled to be released in August 2017. Key Themes of the Review This Independent Review provides an overview of JTVCC issues from the perspective of correctional officers, executives, staff, inmates and other community members. The review identifies security issues that likely contributed to the February 1st incident. Recommendations center on corrections philosophy and leadership; institutional culture; staffing; policy, procedure and practice; officer training; communication; and equipment and technology. Some of the overarching themes in this report include the following: - Establish and communicate a strategic plan for the future of corrections in Delaware. - Address staffing issues and support correctional officer (and inmate) wellness. - Improve communication and consistency of policies, procedures, and practices. - Evaluate equipment, technology, and management needs of the department. - Continue efforts to address the institutional culture within the JTVCC. This preliminary report is intended to provide actionable recommendations that inform the State of Delaware's budget and policy decisions to address security in Delaware corrections.

Details: Dover, DE: Governor's Office, State of Delaware, 2017. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 4, 2017 at: http://news.delaware.gov/files/2017/06/Independent-Review-Initial-Report-June-2-2017.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United States

URL: http://news.delaware.gov/files/2017/06/Independent-Review-Initial-Report-June-2-2017.pdf

Shelf Number: 147549

Keywords:
Correctional Administration
Hostages
Prison Administration
Prison Conditions
Prison Riots
Prison Violence

Author: Fitzharris, Andy

Title: Chief Inspector's Report into the "Circumstances surrounding organised prisoner (Fight Club) and access to cell phones and contraband at Mount Eden Corrections Facility (MECF)

Summary: Mount Eden Corrections Facility (MECF) is one of two prisons in New Zealand managed by private operators Serco New Zealand Ltd (Serco). Since August 2011, MECF has been the largest remand facility in the country, and is designed to hold up to 976 males of remand accused, remand convicted and sentenced status. On 15 July 2015 the Department of Corrections (Corrections) became aware that a series of video clips showing organised fighting between prisoners at MECF had been uploaded to the website YouTube. The videos (the YouTube Footage) provide irrefutable evidence of the existence of a 'fight club' operating at MECF. On 17 July 2015 TV3 News screened footage that had been uploaded to YouTube, showing a number of prisoners involved in organised fighting at MECF. Over the following days a number of prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families, came forth with accounts of organised fighting, prisoner on prisoner violence and inhumane treatment during their time at MECF. The videos uploaded to YouTube had been filmed on contraband cell phones, which raised concerns over prisoner access to cell phones and other contraband on to the site. An internal investigation is being completed by Serco, which holds the Prison Management Contract for MECF (the Contract). As at the date of this report (Report), Serco's internal report is yet to be provided to Corrections. By Terms of Reference dated 27 August 2015 (the Terms of Reference). I was instructed by the Chief Executive of Corrections (the Chief Executive) to conduct a full investigation (the Investigation) into: a) the possible existence of a 'fight club' at MECF; and b) access of prisoners to contraband, in particular cell phones, at MECF. The Terms of Reference superseded an earlier terms of reference dated 19 July 2015 (the Earlier Terms of Reference), which instructed me to pay particular attention to the three months prior to that date. Therefore, the Investigation has a particular focus on, but is not limited to, the three months to the date of the Earlier Terms of Reference. The Corrections Inspectorate (Inspectorate) operates under the Corrections Act 2004, the Corrections Regulations 2005, the mandate of the Chief Executive, and the policies established by the Department relating to the fair, safe, secure and humane treatment of prisoners and those detained within the corrections system. This Report contains Phase One of the Investigation required by the Terms of Reference. Phase Two will consist of a review of the adequacy of controls designed to address prisoner violence and access to cell phones operating in other New Zealand prisons, and an investigation into any reported incidents of prisoner on prisoner fighting recorded on cell phones in other New Zealand prisons.

Details: Wellington, NZ: Department of Corrections, 2016. 110p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2017 at: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/856650/Phase_One_MECF_Report_FINAL_REDACTED.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/856650/Phase_One_MECF_Report_FINAL_REDACTED.pdf

Shelf Number: 147624

Keywords:
Prison Administration
Prison Contraband
Prison Violence
Prisoner Misconduct
Private Prisons

Author: Fitzharris, Andy

Title: Chief Inspector's Phase Two Report into: Circumstances surrounding organised prisoner on prisoner fighting (Fight Club) and access to cell phone contraband in New Zealand prisons other than Mount Eden Corrections Facility (MECF)

Summary: We analysed a total of 655 PPV incidents for the four month period 1 April 2015 to 31 July 2015 and there was no evidence that organised prisoner fighting was happening at any of the eight Corrections Services prisons we visited. There were four incidents involving prisoner sparring and conditioning reported by two prisons and these could be considered as a forerunner of organised prisoner fighting. On each occasion they were quickly identified and staff responded promptly to prevent them escalating. We recognise that there will always be elements of assaults and fighting by prisoners, and it's not always easy to prevent violent incidents from happening, even when staff are observing prisoners first hand. There were good levels of prisoner supervision apparent at each prison and recurring evidence from incident reports and interviews that staff responses are timely as soon as they became aware of situations that required their intervention. Active management of prisoners and prompt action taken by staff clearly presents as the most effective preventive control to mitigate risks of PPV situations developing into more serious incidents. There are a range of Violence Reduction Strategies in various stages of implementation across each prison. Most have been established since the 'fight club' events surfaced at MECF and present as good practice in terms of controls for PPV. We noted that prisoner access to physical training equipment has been restricted as a control at some prisons to limit options for conditioning. The extent of these restrictions needs to be balanced against reasonable access to exercise equipment for prisoner well-being. Prisoners are entitled to have access to exercise equipment however their fitness activities should be closely supervised to ensure conditioning and sparring is not happening. We were frustrated with the poor quality of incident reporting in IOMS relating to PPV and contraband cell phones. The incident reporting system is cumbersome and component categories require review to be made more user-friendly. In some cases, PPV incidents are being reported under the non-notifiable category of 'Fighting' rather than 'Assault, non-serious or Assault, no injury'. We could not confirm how widespread this practice was and suggest Corrections Services conduct a further review of incident reporting categories to determine and clarify business requirements. The capability for prison management to effectively implement gang management strategies may be compromised by inaccurate data in IOMS about individual prisoner gang membership/affiliations. This data needs to be cleaned up so that gang information on IOMS is current and reliable.

Details: Wellington, NZ: Department of Corrections, 2016. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2017 at: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/856652/Phase_Two_Report_FINAL_REDACTED.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/856652/Phase_Two_Report_FINAL_REDACTED.pdf

Shelf Number: 148278

Keywords:
Prison Administration
Prison Contraband
Prison Gangs
Prison Violence
Prisoner Misconduct
Private Prisons

Author: Olliver, Rosie

Title: Restorative justice and prison - a report for governors

Summary: Over the last six years, following on from the 2010 white paper Breaking the cycle (Ministry of Justice, 2010a), improving the availability of restorative justice throughout the justice system has had significant government support. Successive action plans, a number of pieces of enabling legislation, the introduction of the current iteration of the Victims' Code (Ministry of Justice, 2015), and significant funding being given to police and crime commissioners (PCCs) have all supported restorative justice in becoming more mainstream and more widely available. Arguably the most important development was the funding provided to PCCs to make restorative justice available to victims of crime in their areas. This funding, part of their grant from the Ministry of Justice for victims' services, was intended to enable them to offer victims of crime access to restorative justice. It was intended to complement, rather than replace, restorative justice that was already being provided by prisons and the probation service, for which the primary purpose was the rehabilitation of the offenders under their supervision. As a result, new services have been developed or commissioned by PCCs in most areas, working to enable victims to access restorative justice. This has seen a significant increase in restorative justice capacity. But it has also created new demands on agencies managing offenders. Whenever a PCC-funded service identifies a victim who would like to access restorative justice, they then need to approach the offender to discuss their participation and, if they are willing to take part, work with them throughout the process. This must involve contact with the agencies that are responsible for their supervision, including the prison holding them if they are on remand or serving a custodial sentence. In addition, legislation has been passed to support the use of pre-sentence restorative justice. The Crime and Courts Act 2013 enables judges and magistrates to delay sentencing after a guilty plea to enable restorative justice to take place. In some cases the offender will be in prison on remand, in which case the prison will have a role to play in supporting the process. The Ministry of Justice has been clear that prisons must support the delivery of restorative justice when it is being led by another agency. Successive Restorative justice action plans in 2012, 2013 and 2014 have clearly stated that victims should be able to access restorative justice while their offender is in custody. Following on from this, the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) set a commissioning intention in 2014 that prisons should either develop capacity to provide restorative justice, or provide a supportive environment for delivery by external agencies (NOMS, 2013). It is, however, difficult to get a sense of the scale of the use of restorative justice in the prison system. The RJC carried out a mapping exercise of restorative justice provision across England and Wales in 2016 (ICPR, 2016), and there were 32 responses from prisons which were using restorative justice. RJC members report that many prisons are not providing a sufficiently supportive environment, and the RJC encounters very few prisons with their own in-house restorative justice capacity. This is a missed opportunity. There is much that restorative justice can offer to prisoners, prison staff and prison governors. As this report shows, restorative justice can help to engage offenders with their own rehabilitation and robust evidence shows that it reduces the frequency of reoffending by at least 14%. It can also help to improve the prison environment and make it a calmer and safer place for staff and offenders. It is recognised that there are barriers to restorative justice being made available to offenders. Most significantly, the prison system is currently facing real and significant challenges. Prisons are suffering from a serious reduction in resources. Between 2009- 10 and 2013-14, direct prison costs have reduced in real terms by 12% per prisoner. Going forward, NOMS envisages ongoing savings of around 15% in the next year. This means that, alongside a growing prison population, prisons have reduced staffing numbers, staff have less time to do anything outside of their core work, and governors have a smaller budget to offer rehabilitation programmes. Prisoners in some prisons can spend up to 23 hours a day locked in their cells, as there are too few staff to let them out to take part in purposeful activity. The facts, as collated by the Prison Reform Trust (2016), illustrate the scale of the problem. The prison population has increased by 91% since 1993, to 84,405 people in June 2016. Over the last six years the number of staff employed in public prisons has fallen by 30%. With this falling staff-to-prisoner ratio, perhaps it is unsurprising that conditions in prisons have deteriorated dramatically. An increasing number of prisoners are murdered, commit suicide, self harm or become victims of assault. In the year to March 2016 290 people died in prison, which is the highest number on record. One-third of these deaths were self-inflicted. Serious assaults have more than doubled in the last three years, with 2,197 serious prisoner on prisoner assaults and 625 serious assaults on staff in 2015.

Details: London: Restorative Justice Council, 2017. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2017 at: https://restorativejustice.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/files/Restorative%20justice%20and%20prison%20-%20a%20report%20for%20governors.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://restorativejustice.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/files/Restorative%20justice%20and%20prison%20-%20a%20report%20for%20governors.pdf

Shelf Number: 148752

Keywords:
Prison Violence
Prisoners
Restorative Justice
Victim-Offender Mediation

Author: Owen, Barbara

Title: Critical Issues Impacting Women in the Justice System: A Literature Review

Summary: Passed in 2003, the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) serves as the framework for collecting descriptive data, improving policy and practice, and developing standards surrounding sexual violence in all correctional facilities. Over a decade later, practitioners and researchers alike acknowledge that implementing the Act should recognize that gender differences between female and male inmates require specific attention to female facilities. The 2012 Report of Review Panel on Prison Rape confirms the distinctive needs of female facilities in preventing sexual victimization with this statement: The Panel is aware of the paucity of resources that are available to female correctional facilities when it comes to serving the particular needs of female offenders. The Panel encourages additional research into ways of creating healthy female prisons based on data that show the relationship between institutional practices (e.g., policies on touching between inmates) and the incidence of sexual victimization. The Panel also encourages the development of training tools especially tailored to helping staff who work in female facilities in addressing such issues as maintaining proper professional boundaries and creating an environment free of verbal harassment (Mazza, 2012, p. 60). This summary literature review is but one step in the development of these training tools. In the following, we review the literature relevant to the study of violence and safety in women's prison. We begin with the demographic and background characteristics of female offenders. The pathways model is then described, which emphasizes the life experiences of women that contribute to criminal behavior. This review will then describe the subcultural elements of women's prisons that influence vulnerabilities, victimization, and violence. The types and prevalence of violence in women's prisons, particularly sexual assault, are also summarized. A summary of the National Inmate Survey, a PREA-mandated data collection that measures inmate self-reports is provided. This review then provides a summary of recent research by the authors that examines the context of gendered violence and safety in women's correctional facilities and results from a project that sought to validate an instrument intended to measure women's perceptions of safety and violence.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. National Institute of Corrections, 2014. 63p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed April 2, 2018 at: https://nicic.gov/sites/default/files/033010.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: https://nicic.gov/sites/default/files/033010.pdf

Shelf Number: 149651

Keywords:
Female Inmates
Female Offenders
Gender-Related Issues
Prison Administration
Prison Rape
Prison Violence
Women Offender

Author: Steinberg, Jonny

Title: Nongoloza's Children: Western Cape prison gangs during and after apartheid

Summary: Over the past two decades, news of the strange world behind the bars of South Africa's prisons has been spilling out in dribs and drabs. Among the things we have learned is that the so-called "Number gangs"-the 26s, 27s and 28s-are about 100 years old, that they originated in the jails, mine compounds and informal settlements of turn-of-thecentury Johannesburg, and that today they constitute a formidable force in every prison across the country. We know that the Number gangs take their inspiration from the real historical figure who founded them, Nongoloza Mathebula, an early Johannesburg bandit who built a quasi-military band of outlaws, welding his small army together with a simple but potent ideology of banditry-as-anti-colonial-resistance. We know, too, that the Number gangs have been the vehicle of an extraordinarily durable oral tradition; the imaginary uniforms, weapons and paraphernalia that Number gangsters carry today are all faithful representations of the uniforms, weapons and paraphernalia of the Boer and British armies of the late 19th-century Transvaal. The arcane and finely observed military and judicial hierarchies of the 28s and the 27s are precisely those invented by Nongoloza and described in the life testimony he dictated to a prison warder in 1912.1 We know, too, that the world of the Number gangs is one of staggering brutality. Its self-styled judiciaries sentence inmates to death, to gang rape, to beatings with prison mugs, padlocks and bars of soap; among the prerequisites of joining the "soldier lines" of the gangs is the taking of a warder's or a non-gangster's blood; leaving a prison gang, sharing a gang's secrets with a warder, or talking casually about the gang's workings to the non-initiated are all punishable crimes. Finally, we know that sexual relations between prison gangsters and their lovers are highly stylised, caricaturing the most pungently misogynist relationship imaginable between a man and a woman. The passive partner in an archetypal prison relationship is stripped of the jail equivalent of his juridical personhood: he is not allowed to conduct commerce or to leave the cell without his partner's permission; he cooks for his partner, makes his bed, washes his back and cuts his toenails. 2 Yet, despite the growing body of information available to us, our knowledge of South African prison gangs remains inadequate. What we have are slivers of narrative, ritual and myth, disconnected from the context that gives them meaning. What we do not have is an analysis of the relationship between prison gangs and the institution that animates them in the first place: the prison itself. This lacuna has been unavoidable. Until the early 1990s, South African prisons were entirely closed institutions. Reportage on the conditions in jails was effectively illegal until the mid-1980s. Until 1990, the courts kept prison administration at arm's length, giving the Commissioner of Prisons almost unlimited power, including the power to regulate information.3 And the gangs themselves were, of course, sworn to a vow of silence. Two research projects conducted in the 1980s did, however, make concerted and valuable attempts to understand prisons gangs in their institutional context. Fink Haysom's thesis-that the gangs' quasi-military structure is an extreme parody of the apartheid prison system itself-is, as we shall see, a powerful and lasting insight. 4 Lotter and Schurink's thesis-that gangs militate against the psychological and material pains of imprisonment-is also of lasting value. 5 However, given the closed conditions of the 1980s, these studies, which should have become a foundation for further research, were left standing as two islands in a sea of incomprehension. It is only in recent years, with the opening of the jails to researchers and observers, and the intrusion of the rule of law in the running of prisons, that it has become possible to study the substance of prison life with any seriousness. And it is only in understanding the substance of prison life that the strange narratives and rituals of South Africa's prison gangs can possibly make sense.

Details: Johannesburg: Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2018 at: http://www.csvr.org.za/docs/correctional/nongolozaschildren.pdf

Year: 2004

Country: South Africa

URL: http://www.csvr.org.za/docs/correctional/nongolozaschildren.pdf

Shelf Number: 115815

Keywords:
Gangs
Prison Gangs
Prison Violence
Prisoners
Prisons

Author: Knox, George W.

Title: The Problem of Gangs and Security Threat Groups (STG's) in American Prisons Today: Recent Research Findings From the 2004 Prison Gang Survey

Summary: This is a study of gangs and security threat groups (STG's) in American prisons today. The purpose here is to add to the growing body of literature about gangs behind bars. The National Gang Crime Research Center (NGCRC) has made a number of contributions in this area dating back over a decade. While the last decade has witnessed a steady increase in certain of these problems, the present research reports only modest increases overall in the scope of the gang problem, but that new and potentially more explosive problems are emerging inside this arena. The current findings, representing data collected during the first half of 2004, certainly suggest that the problem has not been abated. Indeed there are some new dangerous trends documented here for the first time. Although correctional officials feel there are some effective strategies to win this war, these measures are not being widely implemented. Meanwhile, gangs are exploiting weaknesses in the correctional system, including abusing legislative provisions intended to protect religious rights. Correctional staff polled indicated problems in their awareness of legal developments, and identified education as an ongoing need; and, three years after 911, the recruitment of gang members into terror networks remains a issue. What can be done? What must be done? This article will present an overview of gang demographics, including gender and religious affiliation - a survey of violence - procedures, programs, etc. Finally, it will conclude with recommendations drawn from the survey data.

Details: Peotone, IL: National Gang Crime Research Center, 2005. 69p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2018 at: https://www.ngcrc.com/corr2006.html

Year: 2005

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ngcrc.com/corr2006.html

Shelf Number: 149971

Keywords:
Prison Administration
Prison Gangs
Prison Violence

Author: Trammell, Rebecca

Title: Mutual Respect, Conflict and Conflict Resolution in Prisons: A Response to the Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prison Report

Summary: Summary of Findings - 45% of inmates sampled experienced some form of non-sexual violence in prison. Inmates have assaulted 33% of the staff members interviewed for this study. - 4.1% of inmates sampled were involved in some type of sexual assault while incarcerated. - Disrespectful behavior was identified as a major cause of violence in these facilities. - Violence between inmates and between inmates and staff is more likely to happen at the Lincoln Correctional Center, the Nebraska State Penitentiary and the Tecumseh State Correctional Institute. - Fights or assaults are more likely to be reported in the Nebraska Correctional Center for Woman than any other prison. - Inmates at the Lincoln Correctional Center, the Nebraska State Penitentiary, and the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women who stated that they were members of a street gang before entering prison were statistically more likely to report fighting with another inmate. Inmates from the Nebraska State Penitentiary and the Tecumseh State Correctional Institute who claimed to be a member of a prison gang were statistically more likely to claim that they fought another inmate. Only the inmates from the Tecumseh State Correctional Institute who claimed to be members of a prison gang were more likely to state that they assaulted a staff member. - Inmates who were sentenced for a violent offense were more likely to report fighting inmates in three facilities: Omaha Correctional Center, the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women, and the Nebraska State Penitentiary. Violent offenders at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institute were more likely to admit to assaulting a staff member. - Inmates and staff members blame both inmates and staff, to varying degrees, for conflict and violence in these facilities.

Details: Omaha, NE: The University of Nebraska at Omaha The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2012. 94p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 11, 2018 at: https://corrections.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/files/46/trammell_2012_1.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: https://corrections.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/files/46/trammell_2012_1.pdf

Shelf Number: 140163

Keywords:
Conflict Resolution
Inmate Misconduct
Inmate Violence
Prison Violence
Prisons
Restorative Justice

Author: McGuire, James

Title: Understanding Prison Violence: A Rapid Evidence Assessment

Summary: The occurrence of violent assault in prison is a challenging problem. This Analytical Summary reports the findings of a rapid evidence assessment (REA) into the causes of physically violent assaults by male adult prisoners. The REA reviewed 97 research studies published since 1st January 2000. Key findings - Most of the published research is focused on imported characteristics - the personal characteristics of men who are violent in prison - and attempts to predict who they will be. Imported characteristics associated with prison violence include youth, history of earlier violence in prison or with violent convictions, membership of gangs, low self-control, anger, temper, mental health problems, and antisocial attitudes and personality. - The prison environment also plays a considerable role in how prisoners behave. Physically poor conditions, highly controlling regimes, or by contrast circumstances in which rules are unevenly applied or not adhered to or where prisoners do not experience staff decisions as fair or legitimate, can each heighten tensions and induce stresses potentially giving rise to conflict and assault. - Perhaps surprisingly, evidence that crowding in and of itself was a direct cause of violence was fairly weak. Research suggested that the effects of crowding are mediated through staff-prisoner interactions and that the crucial factor in maintaining order is the availability and the skills of unit staff. - Some features of prison activity make violence less likely. Places within a prison where prisoners are engaged in purposeful activities they consider valuable, such as workshops and education, are less prone to be sites of aggression. Violence is more likely to occur in places that offer less purpose, have fewer formal ground-rules, and lower staff oversight, such as cells. - A policy designed to reduce violence could be oriented towards situational control aspects of day-to-day prison management. That would require staff training in the use of styles and patterns of interaction that wield authority alongside instilling respect.

Details: London: HM Prison and Probation Service: 2018. 9p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2018 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/737956/understanding-prison-violence.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/737956/understanding-prison-violence.pdf

Shelf Number: 151429

Keywords:
Correctional Administration
Offender Management
Prison Administration
Prison Conditions
Prison Health
Prison Violence
Prisons

Rutgers - School of Law, Newark

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