NCJ Number
173994
Date Published
1996
Length
264 pages
Annotation
This book instructs correctional managers in procedures for preventing and handling various emergencies that may occur in a prison setting.
Abstract
The book advises that the ultimate goal of all correctional administrators is to manage a facility or agency in such a way that emergencies are prevented; however, despite best efforts, human behavior and natural disasters create emergencies that must be addressed through planning and staff training. Recognizing that strategic planning must become an integral part of daily correctional operations, this book takes correctional administrators through the various steps involved in emergency planning. The book addresses a number of preventive measures that can be used to reduce the risk of many types of incidents. Beyond prevention, correctional facilities must be prepared for any emergency by developing a system capable of identifying, containing, responding to, managing, and recovering from any type of incident from minor to catastrophic. The author identifies a number of incident types and presents information critical to planning and preparing for them should they occur. Information on incident management is included for inmate-precipitated events, such as sexual assaults, suicides, work stoppages, hunger strikes, escapes, gang unrest, and minor and major disturbances. The book also includes advice on working with staff problems as well as natural emergencies, such as fires, floods, and tornadoes. External hazards such as technological emergencies, urban unrest, terrorism, hazardous waste, evacuation, and even nuclear incidents, also are covered. There are also chapters that deal with tangential issues pertinent to the context in which emergencies are addressed. The topics covered include dealing with the media, emergency medical management, and communications. The last three chapters address the aftermath of an emergency. They focus on the physical and psychological challenges of recovery, the management of post-emergency inmate litigation, and the process of emotional healing. 119 references and appended samples of emergency procedures checklists from the Maryland Department of Corrections