Prison riots have alwaysexisted since time immemorial and have been frequent in the recent past, thus, there is a need for action to be taken in order to control them. Prison riots can be caused by misunderstandings among inmates, where they quarrel over simple things and end up fighting. Their fight can raise attention of other inmates who turn up in favor of either party. Once the guards in the prison try to intervene, a riot is born. Another cause of prison riots is when the prisoners’ personal needs are not taken into consideration, such as hygiene and food. Overcrowding in prisons makes them unhygienic, increasing diseases and constraining the social amenities offered such as health. Inmates complain about it and once they witness no change, they resolve to riots to express their grievances(Homel & Thomson, 2005).

Many people believe that prison riots are as a result of prisoners’ organizations. However, the root cause of these riots is the institutions’ disorganization. When the members of staff in the prison cannot be accessed by inmates and seem unwilling to respond to the concerns of the prisoners, the inmates become more restless and a riot erupts. The unresponsive staff tends to show concern after a riot has occurred, and, in most cases, end up doing little to address the prisoners’ concerns.

There is a need for the administrators in prisons to show concern to the prisoners’ grievances and take the necessary action. When prison staff shows that they are ready to listen to the inmates, the riots will be at a minimum(Homel & Thomson, 2005). Organization in prisons should also be improved to enable prisoners’ concerns to be addressed faster. The prison staff should also make the best use of jail keys and increase supervision in order to enhance security in the prisons. The institutions should also lay out clear security procedures and ensure that they are followed to the letter to enhance inmates’ security. There is also need to educate and train the prison guards about how to respond to riots as soon as they occur.

Overcrowding is one of the contributing factors to riots, due to cases such as conflicts among inmates and complaints about sanitation (Homel & Thomson, 2005). Overcrowding can be reduced through implementation of single cells, in addition to protecting an inmate’s personal territory. In return, riots can be reduced significantly. More prisoners can be allowed to reduce their sentences through credit for good behavior. It would also be logical to impose fines to minor crimes to avoid sending a lot of people to prisons.

Prisons should have a treatment program for prisoners with special needs such as the mentally ill prisoners. Mental treatment can be of great assistance in leading prisoners on a path to recovery by erasing its painful symptoms, prevent the ill prisoners from deteriorating and ensure that they do not take away their lives through suicide (Human Rights Watch, 2009). The guards should be trained on how to handle such prisoners in case they think of breaking out of the prison, and give them maximum security throughout. Such prisoners need to be protected from other inmates who might not understand their plight and could end up harassing them. It is important to have special rooms designed for them where they can stay individually (Human Rights Watch, 2009). In return, safety and order are maintained within the environs of the prison. In addition, the community is assured safety once the prisoners are set free.

References

Human Rights Watch, (2009). Mental illness, human rights, and US prisons. Retrieved on 24 June 2015 from http://www.hrw.org/news/2009/09/22/mental-illness-human-rights-and-us-prisons

Homel, R. & Thomson, C. (2005). Causes and prevention of violence in prisons. Corrections Criminology, 1(2), 101-108.

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Topic: Prison

Order Description
1. What roles will pre-release offender preparation, reentry initiatives, and preventive corrections play in the future?

2. What are the future challenges associated with the growing numbers of women in prison?