The Penitentiary in Crisis (Paperback)

Mark Colvin

ISBN 10: 0791409309 / ISBN 13: 9780791409305

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany, NY, 1992

About this Item

Paperback. This is a case study of the violence and disorder that have become endemic in U. S. prisons. The 1980 riot at the Penitentiary of New Mexico was one of the worst riots in prison history. Thirty-three inmates were killed and hundreds were injured. The author demonstrates how this riot, and the growing disorder that preceded it, reflect important shifts in the organizational structure and philosophy of prison management in the U. S. The Penitentiary in Crisis analyzes how shifts in prisoner control strategies disrupted important power relations between inmates and staff and created disorder. The author's experiences as a corrections counselor and planner in New Mexico corrections and his later role as principal researcher for the official investigation of the riot give him a unique perspective for understanding the riot and the prison's organization and history. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780791409305

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Penitentiary in Crisis (Paperback)
• Publisher: State University of New York Press, Albany, NY
• Publication Date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0791409309
• ISBN 13: 9780791409305
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

This is a case study of the violence and disorder that have become endemic in U. S. prisons. The 1980 riot at the Penitentiary of New Mexico was one of the worst riots in prison history. Thirty-three inmates were killed and hundreds were injured. The author demonstrates how this riot, and the growing disorder that preceded it, reflect important shifts in the organizational structure and philosophy of prison management in the U. S.

The Penitentiary in Crisis analyzes how shifts in prisoner control strategies disrupted important power relations between inmates and staff and created disorder. The author's experiences as a corrections counselor and planner in New Mexico corrections and his later role as principal researcher for the official investigation of the riot give him a unique perspective for understanding the riot and the prison's organization and history.

About the Author

Mark Colvin is Assistant Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at George Mason University.