environmental tactics - Prison design Flashcards
(8 cards)
what are all the different prison designs?
The traditional prison design is the panopticon (all- seeing) shape.
The concept of the design is to allow an observer to view all prisoners without the prisoners being able to tell if they are being watched.
The building has a tower at the centre, from which it is possible to see each cell in which a prisoner is kept.
Prisoners can be seen but cannot communicate with prison officers or other prisoners. The ‘crowd’ is abolished.
The design ensures a sense of permanent visibility that ensures the functioning of power.
describe the panopticon design?
The traditional prison design is the panopticon (all- seeing) shape.
The concept of the design is to allow an observer to view all prisoners without the prisoners being able to tell if they are being watched.
The building has a tower at the centre, from which it is possible to see each cell in which a prisoner is kept.
Prisoners can be seen but cannot communicate with prison officers or other prisoners. The ‘crowd’ is abolished.
The design ensures a sense of permanent visibility that ensures the functioning of power.
what prison is based of the panopticon design?
Prisoners are held in long gallery cells radiating from a central point.
The chief warder in the central hub cannot see all inmates but can see all patrolling warders ‘all seeing’.
Cells were also based on solitary confinement ‘abolish the crowd.’ Now known as cellular confinement – restricted to your cell without socialising with other prisoners as a punishment.
describe the supermax design of prisons?
These are the most secure (super maximum) levels of custody.
The objective is to provide long-term, segregated housing for prisoners who represent the highest security risks, including those who pose a threat to national and international security.
Florence, Colorado holds some of the most notorious American terrorists and murders in solitary confinement. The prison is home to about 360 inmates held under ultra-high security.
A supermax prison costs two or three times more to build and operate than a traditional maximum security prison.
what prison is based of the supermax design?
ADX, Florence, Colorado
describe the open prison design?
An open prison has minimum restrictions on prisoner movements and activities.
Classed as category D prisons, they are generally used to prepare inmates for their release,
e.g. HMP Kirkham
describe the human ecological prison design?
A prison based on making use of human ecology as a method of teaching individuals to discover that they are part of a global community.
For example, Bastoy Prison Norway is run under human-ecological values and understanding. Amongst other things, the farming is ecological, the prison handles most of its own rubbish and there is a constant focus on minimising C02 emissions.
This left realist approach produces a very low reoffending rate of 20% compared to 60% in the UK.
how does this achieve social control, especially for the panopticon design?
The design ensures a sense of permanent visibility that ensures the functioning of power.
Foucault’s surveillance theory argues that in today’s society, self surveillance has become an important way of achieving social control. We know that we might be watched - so we modify and control our behaviour ourselves to avoid punishment.
