The Attica Prison Riot - Assignment Example

ATTICA PRISON RIOT What initially contributed to the riot?--What could management/leadership have done that may have prevented the riot from occurring in the first place? The Attica Prison Riot is one of the world’s famous uprising in a correctional facility in New York, United States in the fall of 1971. The gruesome death of an inmate, George Jackson was the main reason for this agitation that led to this notorious riot. He was a black radical prisoner who fought for the Prison Rights and in the course, murdered three guards and two prisoners. The main cause for this rebellion was the extremely poor living conditions of the prisoners. More than 2000 prisoners were forced to live in a facility that can only hold around a little more than a 1000, who were forced in a lock-up with only one shower per week and one toilet roll per head for an entire month. Such dreadful living conditions contributed to the main cause of this revolt that later spread across other facilities during that period. Throughout the time of protest, the management should have improved the living conditions amidst the innumerable requests of the prisoners. This would have majorly prevented George Jackson from taking the lives of the guards. Their demands were highly necessary such as improved medical conditions, proper sanitation, quality food and supply of basic necessities. Also the brutal treatment of the guards and total disregard for the human lives on the part of the officers led to angry complaints and a total unrest. Of the 27 demands set forth by the inmates, only few have been accepted for amendment. 2. What was the wardens initial strategy to respond to the riot? From a management perspective, how would you evaluate the initial plan of the warden?  During the initial stages of the riot, the authorities agreed upon 28 of the demands laid down by the prisoners. Some of the most important demands that were close to the heart of the inmates such as the suspension of the prison Superintendent or the official pardon concerning prison control. Also, it involved the Governor Nelson Rockefeller giving the state police the power to take control of the prison. This led to a lot of deaths of the inmates and those who were in charge. It would have been wiser for the warden to take charge in the early stages of the riot by granting the basic rights of sanitation to the prisoners such as adequate shower and toilet rolls and also delivering mail on a timely basis and by avoiding punishments such as solitary, iron yokes and sweatboxes. 3. Describe the strengths and weaknesses of Commissioner Oswalds strategy. Describe his management style (identify a specific management style—see textbook, icons on homepage) and provide your assessment of his conduct during this riot.  All the painful negotiations with the Correctional Services Commissioner Russell G Oswald were all in vain. The situation turned out even more complicated and grim as he informed the inmates that there would be no further negotiations can be made. All this aggravated the already unstable situation even as Oswald pleaded with the Governor Rockefeller to calm the tension as by then the riot was completely uncontrollable. Upon his denial to take action, Oswald invited the State police to plunge into action and control it by force. Although, Oswald had good intentions to pacify the agitation, his strategy to employ the state police was a bad move on his part as this led to further killings and endless turmoil in the facility. The aftermath of this strategy was horrifying as more people got killed and most of the immediate requirements in the state facility were not met. A war broke out on the morning of September 13, 1971 as the New York State Police dropped tear gas into the yard with random shooting for two minutes that led to the death of 29 inmates and 9 hostages, later recorded as a gory battle since the time of the American Civil War. Oswald’s conduct was deemed barbaric especially due to his plea to involve the State Police that was unfortunately lethal and gruesome for the inmates. His impulsive strategy to control the prisoners proved even more challenging and tough for bringing stability. 4. Describe managements strengths and weaknesses in how they handled the riot aftermath. Include your impressions about how the situation was managed with the media and with the inmates after the riot was under control. Controlling such a huge uprising is challenging and the and management made every effort to bring control and negotiate with 28 demands set by the inmates. However certain basic requirements have not been met and involving the State Police hardened the situation to a larger extent. Falsified statements of the riot circulated by the media that the inmates took hostages by their throats and slit them proved contrary to the medical findings. Some of the pictures of brutal killing of the inmates slitting the throats of the hostages were needlessly provocative as they gave a wrong impression. Such reports proved fatal and incited wrong action on the part of the correction officers. This report was backed by an interview with Smith who was held hostage by the officers and witnessed that the inmates only looked for better living conditions and did not intend to harm him. Inmates were forced to go bare, crawl and run naked amidst an angry group of officers who continually thrashed the inmates. After many days, the situation was brought under control through the media’s involvement. 5. Describe specifically the management style (identify a specific management style—see textbook, icons on homepage) used by Governor Rockefeller during the riot. Were his actions throughout this ordeal appropriate? The management style of Governor Rockefeller was in a way tyrannical and despotic with the ordering of the state police to manage the situation in the facility. The end of the uprising took a heavy toll on human life with the loss of 33 inmates and 10 correctional officers. All this aggravated the situation as it ended in cold-blood killings from the very start of the uprising as the Governor blamed the inmates for the situation rather than making an effort to support the prisoners. His actions led to mass deaths. 6. Discuss any questionable unethical conduct you observed in this video. Brutal treatment of the inmates and the strict management style on the part of the correction officers, led to mass deaths and successive uprisings in many other correctional facilities. Such barbaric crimes towards human lives need complete annihilation. 7. Identify changes you would make as a new warden assigned to Attica after the riot.  Some of the basic requirements for sanitation and proper hygiene, delivering the mail on time and avoiding brutal treatment of the inmates are some of the changes that I would implement in the Attica prison. Also respecting human rights is one of the main principles that need proper amendment and reformation as most of the brutality on the part of the officers stems from severe lack of ethical treatment of humans. They are shot, stripped and made to crawl and this is highly inhuman. Strict and unnecessary punishments such as Solitary, iron yokes and sweat boxes must be completely eradicated for promoting peace and fair treatment. Explain how this video is related to criminal justice and administration of justice management. Use quotes from the book Administration and Management in Criminal Justice —A Service Quality Approach, Allen and Sawhney, 2010, Sage Publishing. The factors that govern the administration of criminal justice in the Attica Prison Riot are varied and give rise to a lot of speculation even as there are a serious of events that are deemed as highly contributing factors to such brutality seen since the American Civil War. Justice seemed to be thwarted even as 43 people died in such massacre and the aftermath of the uprising had far reaching effects in other correctional facilities. Law exists in the hearts and minds of those that run it and any violation of basic human rights in a way warns the inner conscience and this is evident even as this prompted to a raging and bitter aftermath. Read More