Prison violence is a daily occurrence due to the diversity of inmates with varied criminal backgrounds in penitentiaries. The three different types of attacks are inmate on inmate, inmate on guard (and vice-versa), and self-inflicted. These attacks can either be impulsive and spontaneous or well-planned out and premeditated. Factors such as gang rivalries, overcrowding, minor disputes, and prison design contribute to violent attacks. Prisons are trying to avoid, or at least better deal with these situations by being proactive. They are taking steps like placing violent convicts and gang leaders into solitary confinement, balancing the cells by critically examining each inmate to see where they are likely to reside peacefully, reducing blind spots, and training as well as educating the officers.
Acts of violence
Prison violence is inflicted onto either another inmate, a prison guard, or is self-inflicted. In 1999, it was reported that one in five inmates, or twenty percent of inmates, at fourteen state prisons had been physically assaulted by another inmate. Prison violence can consist of inmates fighting with their fists, homemade weapons, prison rape, or, in some extreme cases, murder. The attacks that are implemented onto anyone but the self are either instrumental or expressive. Instrumental violence is premeditated; it is planned out, calculated, and then implemented. More commonly executed by males, this act typically establishes power and is, “…justified and rationalized by the inmate population by creating peer admiration, fear, protection…”. Typically, surviving in prison involves establishing strength and power, which is why instrumental violence is so commonly used. Expressive violence is a spontaneous attack typically carried out by women. In this tactic, the attacker lashes out suddenly due to intense feelings of danger, fear, anger or resentment, resulting in the sudden jump into action. It can be concluded that expressive violence is a more responsive attack that occurs when the perpetrator feels provoked or threatened, whereas instrumental violence is carefully planned out and driven by vengeance. Self-harm is a purely psychological act. Many people that get sentenced to prison often suffer from or develop mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, and need psychiatric attention. Due to influences such as their surroundings, the harsh treatment they receive from officers and inmates, and their sentencing time, self-harm and suicide rates are believed to be higher in prison populations than any non-incarcerated population.
Causes of violence
The perpetrators of violent attacks are convicted criminals, some of whom are in prison for committing crimes that left multiple people severely injured, so violence is in many of these individual’s nature. These people, “…settle disputes and seek power in the way they are accustomed- through violence”. This natural tendency to commit violence is undoubtedly a huge factor that goes into why prison violence occurs, but the physical design of the prison can serve as another factor. A prison can either have indirect or direct supervision. Both types of supervision have their strengths, but also detrimental weaknesses.
Indirect supervision
Indirect supervision is when a correctional officer is placed in an enclosed booth and must constantly watch over the inmates through a bird’s eye view. The physical interactions that officers have with the inmates is minimal, for most of the communication comes through an intercom system. Inmates are placed in their own cells and officers have physical barriers to ensure their own safety. When havoc is wreaked, a call for a response team is placed over the intercom. This type of supervision is strong, but has some drawbacks, such as the creation of blind spots. These are created through indirect supervision because the guards standing watch can have objects blocking tiny spots or they may just not be looking in the right direction at the right time. Indirect supervision is an impersonal and more distant form of supervision that helps with officer safety, but leaves blind spots for “…inmates to conceal illicit activity from security staff”.