Serious and organized crime from prison: A new security paradigm in prison management?

• In Event: The Social Ecology of Violence and Safety in Prisons

Abstract

There is growing attention in the Netherlands to the phenomenon of serious and organised crime committed from prison. This includes, for example, the orchestration of threats and killings by incarcerated persons. New legislation is proposed in the Netherlands to increase surveillance and limit the freedom in prison of people who are linked to criminal networks. International collaboration is also intensified to gather intelligence. The aim of this paper is to describe this phenomenon and make sense of the consequences experienced by prison managers and prison staff. Analysis of interviews with 46 prison managers in all Dutch prisons reveal concerns about the threat of serious violence and a high risk awareness. The perceived threats have consequences for the behaviour of managers and frontline staff, and the security measures pose challenges to the goals of humane incarceration and rehabilitation support. It is questioned whether the Dutch experience with and perception of this phenomenon signals a (European or even global) paradigm shift.

Author

• Esther van Ginneken, Leiden University