NCJ Number
57415
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
AN ANALYSIS OF THE SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES OF CRISIS SITUATIONS IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND WAYS THAT CORRECTIONAL STAFFS CAN RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO SUCH SITUATIONS ARE PROVIDED IN THIS ARTICLE.
Abstract
THE DESTRUCTIVE POTENTIAL OF INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE, SOPHISTICATED RESPONSES. ALL OF THE TRAINING OF CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL MUST COME INTO FOCUS IN ORDER TO HANDLE A CRISIS SITUATION. WHILE IT IS DIFFICULT TO PREVENT STRESSFUL SITUATIONS FROM ARISING IN THESE INSTITUTIONS, TRAINING CORRECTIONAL STAFF IN THE TECHNIQUES AND METHODS FOR RECOGNIZING AND ALLEVIATING STRESS CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON PREVENTING LARGER, MORE SERIOUS CRISES FROM HAPPENING. SPECIFIC FACTORS, INHERENT IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A CRISIS SITUATION INCLUDE BEING FORCED TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE WITH WHOM INMATES MIGHT NOT CHOOSE TO INTERACT, LACK OF SPACE, RECEIVING A DEATH SENTENCE, OR THREATS BY OTHER INMATES. CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS CAN BE TRAINED TO SPOT POTENTIAL CRISIS SITUATIONS BY OBSERVING CHANGES IN THE ATTITUDE, PERSONALITY, AND WORK OR SCHOOL HABITS OF INMATES. WHILE A CRISIS MAY NOT BE PREVENTABLE, THESE OFFICERS CAN LEARN HOW TO HELP INMATES RELIEVE THE STRESS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH SITUATIONS BY USING SKILLFUL INTERVENTION STRATEGIES, SUCH AS THE 'EMPHATIC RESPONSE' TECHNIQUE. IN ADDITION, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS CAN SEEK TO SOFTEN THE BLOW OF SITUATIONS WHICH WILL PRODUCE STRESS AND TO LESSEN THE DURATION OF STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. CHARTS ARE INCLUDED.