The thematic area concerns penitentiary facilities and in particular prison facilities in the United States. The research paper will focus on the problem of violence in prison, its causes and the role that various stakeholders within prison facilities contribute to the problem and how they can be part of the solution to the problem. The article will also use various data and graphs to further highlight the scope of the problem and how it can be solved. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Violence in U.S. prisons has been on the rise over the years, and the problem is increasingly pervasive for inmates held in medium- and high-security federal prison facilities. Violence is usually inflicted on fellow inmates, prison guards, or themselves. Historically the problem can be traced back many decades to the times of racism as a result of stereotypes and myths about people of color being criminal by nature, such as ethnic minorities, blacks, immigrants, refugees and Native Americans, among others (Deflem, 2017). This has led to the disproportionate and mass incarceration of such groups of people. Policies that contributed to the problem were also formulated during that time period. People in power and lawmakers have crafted tough sentencing laws and law enforcement officers have been ordered to get tough on crime, forcing prison administrators to contend with a growing population of inmates using limited resources. Violence takes the form of mutual fighting with fists, use of smuggled homemade weapons and in some cases rape. Violence takes different forms in prisons which include instrumental, expressive violence and self-harm. Instrumental violence is usually carefully planned before being implemented. This type of violence is used as a means to establish power and control and for protection purposes. Expressive violence on his part is usually spontaneous and in many cases is carried out by women (Wener, 2012). This is usually a reactive attack in which the attacker feels threatened or provoked and acts suddenly. Self-harm is more psychological for many people who end up imprisoned, usually developmental disorders that take the form of depression and anxiety due to the rough treatment they receive from their fellow inmates, prison officers, and their surroundings. The other forms of violence witnessed in prisons are work and hunger strikes, which usually serve to draw the authorities' attention to their living conditions. The most affected areas where prisoners commit this type of crime are blind spots, i.e. areas that allow them to hide their illegal activities away from the eyes of prison guards who are usually waiting and monitoring through CCTV cameras and others gadgets. There are various factors that contribute to the problem of prison violence. They include overcrowding, supervision and staffing levels. Prison overcrowding contributes to the increase in cases of prison violence. Caring for many inmates who are in prison because they have committed several crimes at the same time is a great challenge for correctional officers. Overcrowding and lack of adequate supervision, combined with inmates' ability to create homemade weapons, provide them with the opportunity to commit the crime (Deflem, 2017). It is not easy for prison guards to assert their authority and force offenders to obey rules.
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