Use of Force: Current Practice and Policy

• NCJ Number: 196798
• Author(s): Craig Hemmens Ph.D.; Eugene Atherton
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 284 pages
• Sale Source: American Correctional Assoc
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: For additional chapters see NCJ- 196799-803.

Annotation

This book, intended for correctional officers and administrators, discusses the proper use of force in the field of corrections, in various different situations.

Abstract

Written by authors with corrections, legal, and security experience, this book, based on surveys of State departments of correction and large jails, discusses the proper use of force in the area of corrections. Following a foreword expressing the American Correctional Association’s (ACA) standards on self-defense, training, security and control, weapons and other security devices, and policy on the use of force, this book introduces the role of the correctional officer, the use of force in the field of corrections, and the role of institutional policies. The next chapter in this work presents a history of the use of force in corrections, from the time before the advent of written legal codes to the present. A discussion of legal issues involving the use of force in corrections, highlighting types of punishments and force, comprises the next chapter. In the next chapter, the results of a national survey of corrections administrators is presented. Describing use-of-force policies, practices, and procedures, this chapter presents a series of findings in table format and argues that there is significant variation in the ways that use-of-force polices and procedures are implemented. The next chapter details current practices in the use of force in various correctional facilities, describing both the types of force and use-of-force techniques used in todays prisons as well as the underlying philosophy concerning the use of force in corrections. The following chapter presents a discussion of ways to develop and implement a use-of-force policy for correctional facilities. Following a brief conclusion concerning the importance of use-of-force policies, is an extensive listing of references and several appendices that include a presentation of ACA’s standards on use of force, sample standards on use of force, a copy of the survey instrument, and use of force incident review memos and reports.