CONTAINING VIOLENT PRISONERS

Abstract

The Barlinnie Special Unit is an experimental regime designed to contain violent and disruptive prisoners. The psychological characteristics and criminal histories of prisoners who have experienced the regime are described and a quantitative account given of their responses to the regime. Since its establishment only 2 assaults have occurred (expected frequency = 105) and 7 serious incidents (expected frequency = 49). It is argued that these changes can be attributed to features of the regime, including the quality of staff-prisoner communication, the use of group meetings for the ventilation of aggressive feelings, and mechanisms whereby grievances can be dealt with rapidly.

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