Examining Inmate Motives for Prison Riots

• In Event: Inmate Misconduct

Abstract

Prison riots are one of the most crippling incidents within correctional facilities. Therefore, it is significant to understand why riots occur and how to prevent them. While many studies have only considered distant causes, this paper focuses on the near causes of prison riots, specifically inmate motives. Our preliminary findings indicate that the two most common motives for prison riots are dissatisfaction with rules and altercation/tension. By including additional case studies and conducting further analyses, we explore the regional differences in motives and identify situational crime prevention measures to address inmate motives to engage in prison riots. Implications for future studies are discussed.

Authors

• Mijin Kim, John Jay College of Criminal Justice / CUNY Graduate Center

• Susruta Sudula, John Jay College of Criminal Justice / CUNY Graduate Center