Safety in prison
One of the main techniques that correctional officers utilize to maintain order and safety in prison is employing a punishment and reward system. The principle behind the system is that inmates who actively engage in acts that promote order and safety get special privileges while those who do not are denied the privileges (National geographic Documentary, 2016). The system is highly effective as it motivates inmates to act in an orderly manner to receive the rewards. A major strength of the reward-based approach is that it motivates inmates to abide by the regulations of the facility. A major weakness of the strategy is that it leads inmates to abide only by the regulations that carry rewards. The approach is ethical as ensures that inmates are driven to uphold order and safety.
Another strategy that the correctional officers employ is tracking trends in inmate behavior. The correctional officers analyze inmate behavior to identify anomalies that might be indicative of a potential case of insecurity. Analyzing inmate purchasing behavior helps the officers to identify the probability of an incident occurring (National geographic Documentary, 2016). One of the major strengths of the method is that it allows officers to forecast the occurrence of an incident and implement measures to mitigate it. A major con of the approach is it is quite tasking to implement. The technique is an ethical approach as the officers utilize public information to analyze inmate trends.
One of the inmates highlighted in the documentary is David Marshal who is serving a life sentence for first-degree murder. David indicates that he used to engage in the sale of narcotics and a robbery incident occurred against him (National geographic Documentary, 2016). He hunted down the individual who robbed him and killed him hence landing the life sentence of which he has already served 26 years (National geographic Documentary, 2016). The main challenge that he faces in prison is the loss of his freedom. However, to cope with his time in prison, David actively engages in several rehabilitation programs.
The presence of active armed guards serves to mitigate the level of violence in the facility and enhance its overall safety. The actively armed gourds act as a form of deterrence that keeps the inmates from openly engaging in violent behavior. The gourds also serve to ensure that the other unarmed gourds are not attacked by the inmates and that any attack can be decisively dealt with in an expedited manner.
Isolation is a major threat to the inmates’ mental status as it serves to make them paranoid and anti-social. Through connections and contact with outside visitors, the inmates’ mental status is improved as they can socialize in a normal manner. It also helps them to feel like members of the larger community.
Inmates in gangs are required to obey the orders of gang leaders even if it is detrimental to their safety. This is a major issue as it drives even nonviolent criminals into a violent one. To protect the inmates, the staff conducts searches that are aimed at stopping the channel of communication from gang leaders. Another major issue is that inmates in gangs are unable to report attacks against them to the authorities.
One way through which conditions in the facility can be improved is by segregating inmates based on their gangs. This will serve to mitigate cases of inter-gang violence hence increasing the level of safety in the facility. Another strategy through which security and safety can be improved in the institution is by establishing an intelligence network. Intelligence networks provide officers with an efficient channel of information on the prisoners and they can use the information to better manage them.