Humanities Homework Help

• There seems to be trouble brewing in a nearby medium-level adult prison. Inmate informers have noted several conditions indicating that a riot may be imminent: Inmates are stocking up on long-term items (e.g., canned goods) in the commissary and banding together more throughout the institution by racial groupings; furthermore, inmates are seen standing in or near doorways, as if preparing for a quick exit. Over the past several months, the inmates have become increasingly unhappy with their conditions of confinement—not only with the usual bland food, but also with the increasing number of assaults and gang attacks—and many are either very young, nonviolent offenders or very old and frail. The staff has also become increasingly unhappy, particularly, with their low salaries and benefits, perceived unsafe working conditions and attacks on officers, institutional overcrowding, the increasing number of sexual attacks among inmates, and greater amounts of drugs and other forms of contraband found in the cellblocks. They demand that the prison administration ask the courts to give more consideration to house arrest and other intermediate sanctions. They also want the legislature to consider privatization of the prison.You are the state’s prison system director. The governor’s office has asked that you prepare an immediate position paper for the chief executive setting forth a plan for dealing with this prison’s current situation.Questions for Discussion
  1. What are the critical issues that should be dealt with immediately?
  2. How would you proceed to defuse the potential for a riot?
  3. What would be your response to the suggestions for prison privatization and the use of intermediate sanctions?
  4. What, if anything, might be done to address the concerns of the inmates? The staff?

     Reply:

• What are the critical issues that should be dealt with immediately?

Critical issues that I would deal with immediately are attacks on officers, sexual attacks among inmates, drug and contrabands, and gang attacks. These issues in particularly because they all effect the safety and operation of a prison. Many of the officers are being tormented and attacked daily making it harder to secure and administer the inmates. For this matter I would incorporate safety measures and precautions for all officers. Sexual attacks have become an initial problem so ensuring the safety and preventing these attacks I would implement more guards and officers to patrol the units regularly. As for drugs and contrabands I would limit visitation and yard time until the problem is under control. Those involved in gang affiliations relations would always become highly supervised.

• How would you proceed to defuse the potential for a riot?

In means of defusing potential riots I would prioritize those involved in any gang activities. I would implement more security and less privileges until the issues are resolved. Those involved would be separated and for the ones who continue to create animosity I would place them in confinement and if that does not help a transfer would be enforced.

• What would be your response to the suggestions for prison privatization and the use of intermediate sanctions?

I would not implement prison privatization as issues are already out of control and the need for more security is essential. Riots are beginning and both officers and inmates need maximum security at this point. As for intermediate sanctions I would grant those who are worthy and show improvement and do not condone in deviant behavior.

• What, if anything, might be done to address the concerns of the inmates? The staff?

In efforts of addressing the concerns of inmates I would recommend intermediate sanctions for those who have proven themselves and worthy of these privileges. As for the staff I would increase security, wages and benefits and protection. The staff should never be under attack by any means so ensuring their safety would become top priority.