Corrections Case Study
Question 1
The main methods that the correlation officers staff usually use in maintaining prison safety and order are the use of “gunner,” and the video mentioned the use of count. A “gunner” is considered to be an armed top level guard found within the cell of the inmates for emergency cases such as violence. Having an active “gunner” is advantageous in that he can manage to get the inmates back to their cells, ensure there is calmness within the cells, and stop the fights from often happening (Amazing Documentaries, 2016). However, a correctional facility with a “gunner” is disadvantageous since the inmates can end up getting hurt, or some of the inmates may be against it since others feel like they do not care or have nothing to lose. I think that count is the most appropriate as it can minimize the inmates from being out of their cells without authorization. This type of strategy will definitely manage to maintain order. However, few inmates cannot work for them since they do not care about anything, including breaking the rules.
Question 2
In the San Quentin prison, Kevin Hagan is one of the inmates who ended up in prison due to being associated with illegal drugs. Currently, he is serving his prison term and has been incarcerated for over 20 years. Hagan was not stressed by any issue he faced while incarcerated, but I feel the issues he might struggle with are of him being incarcerated (Amazing Documentaries, 2016). He had the notion that his body is locked physically, but his mind is free. Dealing with the stress level he is undergoing, he opts to maintain a positive attitude towards life and; looks forward to seeing another bright day. However, other inmates face challenges in terms of their living conditions and having their rooms searched because the staff had been told that they had something in their rooms that stemmed from a kite.
Question 3
I think that having active armed guards within the correctional facilities is effective in various blocks since other inmates actually do not care and always look at different ways around them. According to the video, one of the officers stated that in some instances, the showers are turned on during fights for jumping in to get pepper spray off in case the guards use them (Amazing Documentaries, 2016). Their presence and being armed is effective in various ways since it prevents from engaging in things they might want to do as opposed to if they did not have armed guards. For those inmates that have gotten into trouble, it will work for them because once they are approached by staff or come in direct contact with a correctional officer, they will think before getting hostile or doing something bad because they will already know that the guards are armed and watching.
Question 4
This video did not touch on much about isolation. A few things I noticed the officers said was that if the inmate did not get back to where they belonged, meaning their cell, he would make an example out of the box (Amazing Documentaries, 2016). The inmate did not seem to like the sound of that, so he made it his point to get back to his cell quickly. Another thing they touched on was that the inmates were locked up in their cells for a long time and would communicate through making fishlines. Having connections with outside visitors can have a great impact on the prisoners’ mental status because if they do not get outside visitors, letters, or phone calls from family, that can put them in a horrible mood. If they do have connections with family, then they will have better moods. I think if they can communicate with family on the outside, it reminds them they still have a family. They would not need to send kites or fishlines to other inmates because they will have a family to write and communicate with. Connections and contact with outside visitors play a great factor in a prisoner’s lifestyle because that can determine the type of mood they will carry.
Question 5
Two issues inmates in gangs here uniquely face are gangs mingling and fighting with other rival gangs and getting stabbed by other gang members. Some inmates join a gang when they come to prison to be protected; they do not want the trouble that comes with it (Amazing Documentaries, 2016). However, some do, but they do not know precisely how it works. Some are forced into doing something they do not want to, such as a stabbing or starting a fight. One method of protecting inmate gangs against being stabbed is that Correctional staff will confiscate and search inmate’s rooms and yards for clues and weapons. The method for protecting inmate gangs against mingling and fighting other gang members is that the gang associated with that inmate will not tell anything that happened if an incident was to occur. Most of them will follow a code and not say anything, no matter how bad the incident is.
Question 6
I believe that San Quentin could be improved by taking some specific actions regarding the way they have to lock in their inmates, which could cut down on stragglers and enhance the safety of all inmates, staff and the facility. Another thing that the facility could improve is the way there mealtime “Chow” is set up and served. It was stated that this is the highest time of violence within the facility (Amazing Documentaries, 2016). I think that is because it is overcrowded and the quality of food. Unlike other prisons, San Quentin guards must lock each cell by hand, which is dangerous to the staff and population. I understand why they have their reasons for it, but it would be so much better if they could lock them in the way most prisons are today. Doing this will stop inmates from trying to run off somewhere else, while Correctional officers are busy trying to get everyone else in their cell. This type of lock-in system is unsafe because it allows inmates to start a fight or hurt a staff member. This goes hand in hand with the other action that needs to be taken; If they were to change the way they locked in inmates, they would be able to stagger the mealtimes instead of dealing with overcrowdedness. They should also change the type of food that inmates have to eat, which can change the inmate’s demeanor. I’m not saying they should have a fancy meal but something that is going to fill them up and better food choices.
Reference
Amazing Documentaries. (2016). National Geographic Documentary The Most Notorious Prison San Quentin. Retrieved 2 June 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sncnLd_xBNc