Preventing Violence in Prisons

Causes and Prevention of Violence in Prisons

Prisons are not normal environments. They are, as Bottoms (1999) observed, not only ‘total institutions’ in the sense that they encompass inmates’ lives to an extent qualitatively greater than other social institutions (Goffman, 1961), they are physical places (mostly surrounded by high walls) with a specific history and ethos that are designed to be places of punishment. Prisons bring troubled...

Preventing violence in schizophrenia

Results. Case linkage studies show a peak in violent offending in the period before the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Studies of stage of illness and violence show that a large proportion of serious violence is committed prior to initial treatment for schizophrenia, often after long period of untreated psychosis. The main factors associated with violence in schizophrenia are comorbid substance ab...

Preventing domestic violence.

Sex, Sexual Violence and Coercion in Men's Prisons

Many correctional administrations have displayed extreme reluctance to acknowledge that sex takes place inside their prisons. In many countries sex in prison is a punishable crime. In some, this is intertwined with an outlawing of homosexual activity in general. Yet sex and sexual violence are generally understood to be common practice behind prison walls. Available material on South African me...

4. Violence, sexual abuse and torture in prisons

Key points • Violence in prisons is often clandestine because of the fear of reprisal when it is reported. • Because violence is not brought into the open, it is easily overlooked or underestimated. • Authorities are obliged to protect prisoners against violence, which must not constitute an additional punishment on top of deprivation of liberty. • Violence begets violence, so prison violence i...