chapter thirteen

© 2013 by Pearson Higher Education, IncUpper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved

Crisis InterventionWilliam Harmening

Roosevelt University

Harmening, Crisis Intervention: The Criminal Justice Response to Chaos, Mayhem, and Disaster

Chapter 13THE INSTITUTIONAL CRISIS


13.1

13.2

13.3

13.4

To summarize the nature of the prison riot.

To list and define the various riot typologies, and the dangers posed by each.

To explain the psychological principles at play during a prison riot.

To summarize the best practices for responding to a prison riot, and the various solutions available to

those attempting to de-escalate a prison riot.

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

To summarize the nature of the prison riot.

Learning ObjectivesAfter this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

13.1

13.1 The Prison Riot

OVERVIEW

The prison riot can be a volatile and deadly event. Consider the following:

• Attica Correctional Facility, NY (1971) – 39 fatalities, including 10 guards.

• McAlester Prison, OK (1973) – 19 fatalities, 24 buildings destroyed.

• New Mexico State Penitentiary (1980) – 33 fatalities.

• Atlanta Federal Penitentiary (1987) – 1 fatality, nearly entire facility burned down.

• Chino Prison, CA (2009) – 249 inmates and 8 prison employees injured.

13.1 The Prison Riot

OVERVIEW

During a prison riot group behavior overpowers any rational attempt by individuals to quell the violence.

Those who commit acts of violence during a riot believe they can fade back into the crowd once prison officials regain control.

Inmates know that those who cooperate with any post-event investigation do so at great peril. This empowers those who commit acts of violence during the riot. Oftentimes even those who are victims of violence during a riot refuse to cooperate with prison officials.

To list and define the various riot typologies, and the dangers posed by each.


13.2

13.2 Riot Types

Martin & Zimmerman

• Environmental conditions

• Spontaneity

• Conflict

• Collective behavior/ Social control

• Power vacuum

• Rising expectations

13.2 Riot Types

Useem & Kimball

They look at prison riots in terms of two inmate-related factors. Their inclination to riot relates to the conditions inside the prison. Their ability to riot relates to the ability of the prison administration to control behavior. They provide four classifications.

Inclination to Riot

Ability toRiot

13.2 Riot Types

A New Classification

This classification scheme looks at inmate motivations for engaging in riot behavior…

Grievance

Retaliation

Power

Symbolic

Spontaneous

Staff-directed

Inmate-directed

Inter-group

Intra-group

Conditions

Lifestyle

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

13.2 Riot Types



The CONDITIONS grievance riot results from some type of living conditions within the prison. This may be overcrowding, bad food, or lack of clean bed clothes, among other things.

The LIFESTYLE grievance riot relates to inmate demands for improved access to religious practices, computers, and job training, to name a few.

Grievance

Retaliation

Power

Symbolic

Spontaneous

Staff-directed

Inmate-directed

Inter-group

Intra-group

Conditions

Lifestyle

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

13.2 Riot Types



The RETALIATION riot involves an act of vengeance against other inmates or staff. These riots typically begin with violence. A good example is a gang fight within the prison that erupts into a full blown riot, as one gang attacks the other. The staff-directed riot typically involves the taking of hostages, and results from some action taken by staff, such as removing privileges or locking down gang leaders.

Grievance

Retaliation

Power

Symbolic

Spontaneous

Staff-directed

Inmate-directed

Inter-group

Intra-group

Conditions

Lifestyle

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

13.2 Riot Types



The prison culture includes many subcultures, typically gangs. Each of those gangs has a power structure, and there is typically a power hierarchy among the gangs. The POWER riots occurs when one person or faction within a gang attempts to take control of the gang (intra-group), or one gang attempts to exert its power and control over another (inter-group).

Grievance

Retaliation

Power

Symbolic

Spontaneous

Staff-directed

Inmate-directed

Inter-group

Intra-group

Conditions

Lifestyle

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

13.2 Riot Types



This type of riot occurs when the inmates use the demonstration to show their support for a particular cause or person. In the past, SYMBOLIC riots have occurred in support of civil rights, the anti-war movement, and prison reform. Riots broke out following the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., and prison inmate George Jackson, author of “Soledad Brother.”

Grievance

Retaliation

Power

Symbolic

Spontaneous

Staff-directed

Inmate-directed

Inter-group

Intra-group

Conditions

Lifestyle

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

13.2 Riot Types



The SPONTANEOUS riot is simply that, an unplanned outbreak of rioting that usually begins with an inmate fight or some action by staff. These riots very quickly spin out of control as group behavior and panic quickly overpower rational decision-making by inmates. In the early stages of a spontaneous riot there is typically no one in charge, so it becomes very chaotic.

Grievance

Retaliation

Power

Symbolic

Spontaneous

Staff-directed

Inmate-directed

Inter-group

Intra-group

Conditions

Lifestyle

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

To explain the psychological principles at play during a prison riot.


13.3

13.3 Psychological Principles

Deindividuation

When a person becomes so immersed in a group that they no longer perceive themselves as acting individually within the group.

The decrease in self-awareness and self-evaluation leads a person to commit acts they never would have considered while acting on their own.

Deindividuation impacts the group dynamic in three ways…

1. Less inhibition2. Heightened responsiveness to external inputs3. Adherence to group norms


Milgram’s Obedience Study

One of the most famous experiments in Psychology. Carried out by Dr. Stanley Milgram at Yale University in 1961. Participants were instructed to administer varying levels of electric shock to another human (an actor…there was no shock) to measure the degree to which they would obey such commands.

Many of the participants, in fact almost all of them, willingly complied with their instructions to varying levels.

The experiment shows the phenomenon of deindividuation, as participants set aside their own moral and ethical controls in favor of the group’s, which in this case was represented by the experiment and the researcher.


The Stanford Prison Experiment

Also one of the most famous experiments in psychology. Carrying out by Dr. Philip Zimbardo in 1971 at Stanford University. The experiment involved setting up a mock prison and imprisoning volunteer inmates to measure the effects of incarceration on inmate personalities.

After six days the experiment had to be discontinued due to unexpected outcomes. To Zimbardo’s surprise, the students who were playing the part of prison guard were demonstrating more adverse changes than the inmates, as they began to use abusive and oppressive tactics against the inmates.

Once again, this experiment demonstrated the effects of deindividuation, as the students set aside their own moral and ethical standards and adopted the norms and expectations of the group. They began behaving in ways consistent with their perception of normative prison guard behavior.

To summarize the best practices for responding to a prison riot, and the various solutions available to those attempting to de-escalate a prison riot.


13.4

13.4 The Riot Response

De-escalation Tactics

When a prison riot breaks out, the prison administration has three available options for de-escalation…

• The TACTICAL Solution

• The NEGOTIATION Solution

• The WAITING Solution


The Tactical Solution (Tactical Strike)

The tactical solution can involve either a planned TACTICAL STRIKE, or a RIOT SQUAD MANEUVER.

This is used when there are hostages, or when vulnerable inmates are in danger of being harmed or killed.

A tactical strike is unannounced and makes use of the element of surprise. It is executed quickly to avoid leaders among the inmate population from making plans, and to act before hostages can be separated.

Two key elements of the tactical strike

• Preparation• Tactical Intelligence (location of hostages, inmate plans,

etc.)


The Tactical Solution (Riot Squad Maneuver)

This option does not seek to take advantage of the element of surprise.

It is a show of force that is designed to divide, isolate, and intimidate the rioting inmates.

It involves a controlled entry into the riot area with a well armed cadre of correctional officers and/or State Police.

They move as a group, and carry mostly non-lethal weapons. It is hoped that such a show of force will compel inmates to discontinue their riot. If not, then inmates will be divided, isolated, and restrained by force.


The Negotiation Solution

Negotiating with rioting inmates can be attempting as DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS by prison staff, or as THIRD-PARTY NEGOTIATIONS led by an objective negotiator that may even be requested by the inmates. They may be religious leaders, media personnel, or lawyers/ advocates involved in prison reform efforts.

This option should not begin until there is some semblance of leadership among the inmates, either an individual or committee.

It is important that negotiators not be prison staff in positions of authority, such as wardens, asst. wardens, or commanders.


The Negotiation Solution

Third-party negotiators can play several roles…

• Initiators of conversation – When inmates refuse an dialogue with prison staff, a third-party negotiator may be effective at initiating real dialogue and moving it toward a resolution.

• Guarantors to a Promise – They may serve as a witness to bolster the inmates’ trust in agreements reached with prison staff.

• Mediators – They may take the lead role in negotiations.

• Government bargaining chips – If the inmates demand a third-party negotiator, such an agreement may be used to bargain for the release of hostages.


The Cycle of Negotiation

• The inmates will typically begin with exaggerated demands. The more leverage they have by holding hostages or threatening to destroy property, the more exaggerated the demands will be.

•During the initial phase negotiators will be careful not to give in to demands, nor make counter-offers. Their goal will be to get the inmates to think in a realistic manner. Once they do, then they can proceed in one of three directions.

1. Bargaining: The give-and-take of demands and counter-demands to reach mutual agreements.

2. Problem-solving: Working to resolve the inmates’ immediate problems to allow them an out to their predicament. Useful in a spontaneous riot when hostages are taken for no apparent reason but panic.

3. Situation Management: When the focus is to de-escalate an active and fluid crisis to get to a point where negotiations can begin.


The Cycle of Negotiation

One of the tasks of the negotiator is know when an IMPASSE has been reached, and effective negotiations are no longer possible. At this point the negotiator will likely issue an ULTIMATUM.

• Use-of-force ultimatum

Rioters must surrender control immediately or else be subjected to an overwhelming amount of force as riot squad members move in. This ultimatum must be used with caution if hostages are being held.

• Issue ultimatum

When an impasse is reached on a particular issue, then the negotiators will announce that the issue is dead and no longer open to discussion. It is hoped that such an ultimatum will cause the inmates to think more rationally.


The Waiting Solution

Involves simply waiting out the inmates. One unavoidable reality is that they have no place to go. Best option when there are no hostages or danger to other inmates.

• Passive Waiting: Prison officials make no effort to increase the discomfort of the inmates. They provide ample food and water, and respond to inmate needs. Negotiators refuse to discuss issues.

• Active Waiting: Prison administrators do make an effort increase the discomfort of the inmates. They may refuse food and water, cut off electricity, or pipe in loud continuous music in an effort to make sleep difficult. They may do this in conjunction with limited negotiations, or they may avoid any negotiations at all.


Prison riots can turn into very deadly events due to the chaotic nature of these crises. They can result in hostages

being taken, inmates being harmed or killed, and significant amounts of property damage.

There are numerous types of riots, each with different motivations and dangers. They include the Grievance, Retaliation, Power, Symbolic, and Spontaneous riots.

Prison staff can take one of three approaches to de-escalating a prison riot; the “tactical” solution, the “negotiating”

solution, and the “waiting” solution. Which one they take will depend on how much leverage the inmates have, especially in

terms of hostages.

CHAPTER SUMMARY

13.1

13.2

13.4

During a riot the phenomenon of “deindividuation” often occurs, and participants set aside their individual values and systems of control in favor the values and goals of the larger

group.

13.3


DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Many prison riots take place because of the freedom inmates are given to roam and congregate in places like the prison yard and cafeteria. Should inmates be allowed such freedoms, or do you believe they should be isolated from each other for the duration of their incarceration?

2. Should gang affiliation be allowed inside a prison? Or should members of the same gang be housed in separate areas of the prison and not be allowed to intermingle?

3. Discuss ways in which you believe a prison could me made riot-proof.

chapter thirteen

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