Prison Staff Use of Violence: Findings from Ethnographic Research

• In Event: PWG - Power, identity, and abuse among prison staff

Abstract

Studies of prison violence frequently conceptualize it as a linear process, primarily focusing on violence between incarcerated individuals or against staff. This perspective, however, overlooks the interactional processes and the active role of prison staff in violent situations. When staff actions are examined, they are typically framed as ‘coercion’ or ‘use of force,’ leaving a gap in our understanding of how staff themselves experience, manage, and collectively engage in violence. This study addresses this gap by analyzing how prison staff perceive and anticipate violent interactions. Drawing on an interactionist perspective on violence, we examine over 30 staff interviews and field observations from ten months of ethnographic research, during which staff members were shadowed in their interactions with incarcerated individuals. Our focus is on their interpretations of violence and so-called ‘turning points’—moments of sudden shifts in bodily and emotional behavior, whether from themselves, colleagues, or incarcerated individuals, which influence their assessments and compel them to act, sometimes violently. Our findings show that staff explicitly acknowledge violence and regard it as a (necessary) means to maintain control and ensure safety. At the same time, their use of violence is deeply shaped by emotional and bodily regulation strategies, which are closely intertwined with their professional identity. Staff describe how they suppress intense physical and emotional reactions to fear and tension to maintain control—both over themselves and the situation. This ongoing ‘emotion/body work’ leads some to become desensitized to violence over time. By uncovering these processes, this study provides a more nuanced understanding of the role of prison staff in the dynamics of prison violence.

Authors

• Rozalie Lekkerkerk, Leiden University

• Esther van Ginneken, Leiden University