Violence In Prisons
A large percentage of male inmates have a lengthy history of violence. At the end of 2005, 53 percent of adults sentenced to state prisons were committed for violent offenses.[8] With such a large proportion of inmates previously involved in violent acts, it is not surprising, therefore, that violent behavior is a way of life within prisons. Many inmates just resort to violence as their normal reaction to frustration, disagreements, or lack of power. Those who are not prone to violence are constantly watchful to avoid situations that could lead to violent confrontations. A 2008 study of inmate-on-inmate violence in thirty prisons confirmed what is called the “importation” theory, or that violent inmates bring their violent ways into prison with them.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics indicate that the Federal Bureau of Prisons and 19 states are over capacity, with 20 additional states also close to maximum prison capacity. A case in point: Chino Men's Prison in California, was built to hold 3,000 inmates; it currently holds 5,900 prisoners. In 2009, Chino, California prison inmates staged a riot which resulted in the injury of at least 175 prisoners. Overcrowding increases stress under the best of conditions, let alone in situations when individuals have limited coping skills, such as prisons. The Chino riot raged for 11 hours and injured 175 inmates. Men suffered vicious stab and head wounds as prisoners attacked each other with makeshift weapons, including shards of glass and broken water pipes. Fifty-five inmates were rushed to local hospitals. When officers finally took back control, many inmates had been permanently maimed. Overcrowding can always be a good reason for violence in prisons.
We can also look into gangs for why there is so much violence in prisons. Gang affiliations, rivalries and disputes account for a percentage of violent