Correctional facilities are supposed to reform offenders and while in there; offenders are supposed to maintain law and order. But that does not always happen because many of them find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Violence and victimization in correctional facilities are a topic that has received so much attention in recent times. Some of the criminal activities that have been reported include among others, mistreatment of new inmates, unwanted touching, and even nonconsensual sex. According to a study conducted by Pat Kaufman, correction officials received a substantial number of complaints regarding prison sexual violence (2008). Even so, there are many factors that are thought to influence prison violence and victimization; they include the age of the prisoners involved, the prison or correctional facility’s structural design, management practices and even the external environment. Sometimes this violence and victimization is instigated by the correctional facility management and also the prisoners themselves.
Previous research and studies have shown that there is a rise in correctional violence and victimization. For example, by the year 2000, sexual and physical assaults had increased by 32% as compared to the year 1995 (Hensley, 2002). That translated to 34,000 assaults. In most recent times, sexual victimization has been on the rise, and it is the leading cause of violence and by the year 2011, the cases had doubled from what was previously recorded in 2005. The authorities responsible for the management of correctional centers also say that there are cases that go unreported, and that implies that the figures could be higher (Pollock, 2016). Many are the times when new inmates become targets for future violence. When they get into the system, they are tested to see whether they are cowards or brave to stand their ground and defend themselves. According to Christopher Hensley, these inmates are tested to increase their chances of receiving some form of favoritism, prove their resilience and make their reputation (2002).
In future so much needs to be done to limit correctional facility violence and victimization. It is important to come up with management practices that will help curb this problem. To begin with, it is important to come up with rules and policies that govern life in correctional facilities. That is not to say that there are no rules at the moment. The best way to go about it is to have very strict rules that govern every aspect of a prisoner’s life (Hensley, 2002). That way, the prisoners will be well aware of the consequences of their actions. They will, in the end, develop a very high degree of responsibility so as to manage their lives well and avoid breaking any set rules and regulations. At the same time, the prison management can develop a reward scheme where inmates with impeccable discipline records are appreciated. They will get motivated to keep the laws and policies set to receive incentives. The incentive program can be incorporated into the rules and regulations that guide prison life.
Also, it is imperative to consider the architectural design of the correctional facilities as well as avoiding overcrowding and ensuring that prisoners are grouped according to the nature of the crimes they committed. Some studies have indicated that violence arises from the confusion and tension that might arise from crowded conditions. It is believed that overcrowding is a contributing factor for violence especially when it is combined with other factors such as poor management of the facilities (Pollock, 2016). The architectural design of the correctional facilities should have individual cell housing units as compared to group cell housing. In case the group cell housing will be used, then it is imperative to use good screening and selection methods to ensure that rough and harsh offenders are separated from the rest of the prisoners (Kaufman, 2008). Individual cell housing units will help separate inmates from one another thus creating a safe distance for them to commit criminal or violent activities against one another.
Sometimes the police use a lot of force on the inmates besides making inappropriate passes at them thus driving them to become more violent. The police play a very critical role in determining the attitudes of the inmates because they spend so much time with the inmates while they are on duty. Some studies have found out that those inmates who have been subjected to police brutality and violence are more likely to break the law or assault other inmates (Kaufman, 2008) at the same time, those prisoners who do not resist police brutality are said to be the ones who get offended and affected by the actions of the police and, in the end, they assault others because they develop a desire to avenge any mistreatment they receive. When the inmates perceive any police treatment as unfair, they will develop a negative attitude towards the system as well as their fellow inmates. Therefore, the police play a contributing role towards making inmates violent towards the police themselves and against inmates.
References
Hensley, C. (2002). Prison, Sex: Practice and Policy. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Kaufman, P. (2008). Prison Rape: Research, Explores Prevalence, prevention. National Institute of Justice. Web. Retrieved on 9th March, 2016 http://www.nij.gov/journals/259/pages/prison-rape.aspx
Pollock, J. M. (2016). Ethical Dilemmas and Decisions in Criminal Justice. Belmont: Cengage Learning.
