The riots took place between 1986 and 1991. The analysis revealed that the safety of correctional personnel, inmates, and residents of the area in which the facility is located, plus the financial cost of prison riots, makes their prevention and containment a critical issue. Factors that must be addressed include such criminal justice issues as corrections management, how command is divided during riots, race relations in prisons, how prisons are constructed and renovated, how prisons are staffed, and how staff are used and augmented during riots. Results indicated that proactive planning and preparation along with reactive problem-solving is the most effective approach to prison riot resolution. A prison's riot plan should include a command structure with well-defined lines of authority; clear guidelines on the use of force, including staff and weapons assignments; interagency cooperation terms that specify the roles of units such as the State police and the local fire department; and training that addresses both tactics and mental readiness. Strategies to prevent and deal with riots must address factors such as maintaining supervision of an experienced staff who follow sound security practices; ensuring the security of the building and equipment; and selection of the most appropriate means of resolving a riot, including use of force, negotiations, or a combination of tactics. Charts, reference notes, and list of NIJ publications in corrections
Similar Publications
- Reentry Planning of the Future?: A Balanced Critique of Web-based Reentry Planning Applications
- Are Latinos Who Commit Sexual Offenses Different? A Closer Examination of Characteristics and Offense Patterns
- Fatal and Non-Fatal Intimate Partner and Family Violence Against Older Women: An Exploration of Age and Police Response to Inform Research, Policy and Practice