These are the opinions of a librarian employed by the Michigan Department of Corrections. The Michigan Department of Corrections is not in any way responsible for the content or accuracy of this material, and the views are those of Joseph Bouchard and not necessarily those of the Department.
Despite the popular notion, contraband control is much more complex than officers serendipitously intercepting bootleg. At its most optimal state, it is a multileveled process of discovering the value and routing of illicit items. And, alert staff often discover surprising but pragmatic utilities of most common possessions.
Contraband in a prison setting can be almost anything. It could be excessive amounts of allowable property, such as postage stamps. Another category is the altered item. A good example of this is a hollowed out law book. Or contraband could be a dangerous item, such as a razor blade melted into a toothbrush handle. Often it is something that may not seem inherently dangerous, but is forbidden by policy. Things in this category are money, maps, or officer uniforms. Contraband certainly could be anything that is explicitly illegal such as narcotics or firearms. Some even consider information as contraband. For example, prisoners can wield staff credit card information. This can be used to coerce staff into lax rule enforcement or entrapment in a set-up scheme.
Most prisoners realize the utility of contraband. It is the unofficial currency of the underground economy. Through financial prowess obtained from commerce, a prisoner or group of inmates can become formidable. The more successful unauthorized entrepreneurs can purchase extra protection and afford to hire policy enforcement staff. Therefore, assaults on prisoners, visitors or staff can be arranged by the power of contraband. That is why contraband equals power to prisoners. It empowers few and holds sway over many others. Its existence is a peril to staff.
Of course, corrections professionals have many reasons to stop or at least slow the flow of unauthorized trade. The process of striving to eliminate bootleg is done in order to maintain a safe institution for staff and prisoners alike. It is also a means by which facilities can become more efficient. Certainly at the essence of it is to stop prisoner trading.
A major myth concerning contraband is that its control is solely the duty of the officer. Really, contraband control is everyone's duty. Quite simply, the more areas that participate in the process, the safer the facility and all of
its inhabitants will be. Concerted efforts will bring about safer institutions. The effectiveness of this continuing endeavor is enhanced if all areas of the facility play a meaningful role. Of course, when general safety is brought into the picture, all staff have a stake in contraband control. That should be a powerful incentive for lending a hand in the vital search.
The contraband control process is divided into eight areas. They are: shared observations and communications, pattern analysis, vigilance, the search, documentation, reality,
maintenance and imagining prisoners' motives.
Shared observations
Know the institution's communications network. Feed the facility's information machine. Know the links in the information chain. Assess if all shifts, work areas and facilities in a system share intelligence. It is with effective information networks that the seemingly unsolvable puzzle can be mastered. The difference is, optimal sharing of intelligence makes finding the elusive, but crucial, piece to that puzzle achievable.
Pattern analysis
This is a structured look at how and when different events happen. This is an analysis of how individuals are likely to act under certain circumstances. Corrections professionals should ask themselves these questions. In general, is there more contraband found on prisoners on days after major sporting events? Are trading exercises taking place more on the yard or in the dining hall? Do a significant number of fights and assaults take place on store days?
Vigilance
This is simply watching. As corrections professionals monitor, they note that some prisoners will act in a different way if they know that they are being watched. As staff watch, prisoners observe staff.
This may be the best deterrent for prisoners to move contraband. Vigilance is also an opportunity to assess if something seems out of place. There are times when this is aided by an institutional intuition or 'the x-factor.'
Search
The search is done for reasons other than safety enhancement. When searching, staff often strive to make an impression. The overt search, where staff are visibly and emphatically seeking, is quite effective for this end. That tends to imply a deterrent to trading contraband. Another utility of the search is to relieve vocational boredom. Additionally, the covert search is useful when stealth is desired. When staff search for contraband in secret, they may wish to utilize the element of surprise and conceal any information leaks. This is a manner in which to thwart the prisoner communications network.
Documentation
There are many modes of recording things found during searches. Among them are, log books, memorandums, contraband removal slips, misconduct reports and notes from informants (snitch kites). The written record is important. If an event is not recorded, then isn't it left to the mercy of the memory? When it is unwritten, did the event really occur? These are questions that are often important for the potency of the information network and sometimes to the courts.
Reality
Contraband trading is so widespread. It is very unrealistic to believe that all illegal goods will be discovered. In fact, it is impossible. Prisoners will exchange goods, no matter how severe the sanctions may become. Those who believe that they will discover all of the tricks and hiding places are mistaken. Staff of this variety will fall into the trap of futility from the dizzying heights of over optimism. It is best to moderate. Occupy the middle of the reality continuum, equidistant between blind optimism and dead pessimism.
Maintenance
This is simply where all of the above become integrated into the daily routine. At its best, the process becomes inherent to operation. But, maintenance is not always about the status quo. The process needs occasional assessment to ensure that the particular search needs are reached. At times, the particular traffic of an institution will help modify how we control contraband. For example, it is discovered that prohibited tobacco is reaching segregation prisoners. Because of that, areas such as food tray deliveries, trash runs, law book deliveries, laundry services and the mail need to be scrutinized more carefully. Another event that may act as a catalyst for change is the arrival of new staff. They may bring an enthusiastic approach and a freshly trained perspective. That may lead to an infectious back-to-basics mode for the majority of seasoned staff.
Imagine prisoners' motives
Think in terms of a prisoner who wants to retain valuable but illegal goods. The motives may be comfort, protection and possibly revenge. Where may prisoners hide such things? Departmental training sessions should include exercises in brainstorming of this kind. Whatever the buzzword, (thinking out of the box, off the grid, etc.) collective knowledge while in the mode of the different perspective will uncover common and dangerous contraband.
Consider these points of departure for discussion of where inmates would store contraband:
*Where are the obvious places?
*Where would you hide it?
*Where would less than ambitious staff decline to look?
*Where can the illicit good be hidden so that it is repulsive to staff to search?
*Can it be mobile or does it have to stay in place?
*Think of tricks that few prisoners (and therefore staff) have learned.
*Think of tricks that staff have newly discovered and should not be used for a while.
*Consider classic modes of concealment that seem to be working.
*Acquire new perspective. Stand on a chair, kneel, or squat.
*What is the current hot commodity?
*What is newly forbidden?
There are many benefits of a program that effectively remove illicit goods from the loop. They are overall security for staff and prisoner, positive staff relations, enhanced services to the incarcerated, and efficiency for the taxpayer. Contraband is much more complex than stumbling onto something during a shakedown. But the benefits far outweigh the effort of implementing and maintaining the complete contraband control process.
About the Author
Joseph Bouchard, a member of The Corrections Professional Board of Advisors, is the librarian at Baraga Maximum Correctional Facility in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He also teaches criminal justice and corrections classes at Gogebic Community College. Mr. Bouchard can be contacted at (906) 353-7070 ext 1321.
Resources
Bouchard, Joseph. Wake up and smell the contraband: A Guide to Improving Prison Safety. Horsham, PA: LRP Publications, 2002.
Bouchard, Joseph. 'Programs and Custody: How to Build an Essential Rapport Between Diverse Staff in a Corrections Setting.' The Corrections Professional 5.10 (2000): 10.
Bouchard, Joseph. 'A Refresher Course for Corrections in Contraband Control: The Library as a Hiding Place.' The Corrections Professional 5.12 (2000): 3.
Bouchard, Joseph. ' Unorthodox Use of Law Books by Prisoners.' The Corrections Professional 5.14 (2000): 3.
Bouchard, Joseph. 'Information: The Forgotten Contraband.' The Corrections Professional 5.17 (2000): 3.
Bouchard, Joseph. 'Making Sense of Patterns: Riding the Rhythmic Waves of Events.' The Corrections Professional 6.5 (2000): 3.
Bouchard, Joseph. 'Enhance Security by Deciphering Prisoner Communication.' The Corrections Professional 6.7 (2000): 3.
Bouchard, Joseph. 'Searching for the Unseen: How We Watch and Analyze in Corrections.' The Corrections Professional 6.20 (2001): 3.
Bouchard, Joseph. 'Reading, Writing, and Contraband Control: Create an Optimal Learning Environment.' Correctional Education Bulletin 5.2 (2001): 1+.
Bouchard, Joseph. 'Think outside the box to slow the flow of contraband.' The Corrections Professional 7.14 (2002): 3.
Bouchard, Joseph. 'Jail program staff identify contraband control problems.' The Corrections Professional 7.18 (2002): 3.
|
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think