U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Prison Riots as Organizational Failures: A Managerial Perspective

NCJ Number
157941
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 75 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1995) Pages: 357-379
Author(s)
R A Boin; M J Van Duin
Date Published
1995
Length
23 pages
Annotation
Since most explanations of prison riots implicitly regard causes of rebellious inmate behavior as determinants of a riot's outcome and little attention has been paid to the actual course of a riot, this article suggests that what happens during the riot itself will influence the riot's scope and outcome.
Abstract
The focus of the article is on crisis management, and the authors contend that the way in which prison administrators prepare for and handle riots can make the difference between a small-scale disturbance and a full-fledged riot. Crisis management should therefore be considered as a critical variable in explaining riot outcomes. Causes of prison riots are addressed that encompass prison conditions and vulnerable social structures. Management approaches to dealing with prison riots are evaluated, with administrative failure cited as the primary cause of riots. The intricate nature of crisis management in prisons and the creation of riot-safe prisons are examined, and the importance of integrating crisis planning with prison management is emphasized. 72 references, 7 notes, and 3 figures

Downloads

No download available

Availability