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| Anticipate and thwart |
| By Joseph Bouchard |
| Published: 01/15/2007 |
Editor's Noted: Guest writer, Joe Bouchard returns with a refresher course about managing and preventing contraband.It is inevitable. Nothing, it is said, stays the same. As any corrections professional knows, prisoner work assignments can be quite temporary. There are many reasons that prisoners will be moved from any given job assignment, including shifting institutional needs, prisoner transfers, and inmate requests for reclassification. Termination also is another catalyst for change of job status. This occurs for a variety of causes. For example, prisoners caught smuggling while on assignment may be relieved of their duties. In a broad sense, to smuggle is to move unauthorized goods in an illicit and stealthy manner. In corrections, there are four basic flows of bootleg traffic: 1. General population to segregation This simply means that a prisoner in general population has an item that he is permitted to possess. This item, however, is not permitted in segregation. For example, a general population prisoner who works as a porter in a segregation unit may be forbidden to bring tobacco to his work assignment, even though he is permitted to have it during non-working hours. If this porter conceals the tobacco in his shoe while on assignment, he is guilty of attempted smuggling. 2. Segregation to segregation A prisoner in segregation, though not permitted to possess tobacco, may acquire some. He may engage in segregation to segregation smuggling by hiding a small quantity in a legal brief and mail it to another segregation prisoner. This can also be done by fishing' the contraband in an envelope across the floor of the housing unit. 3. Community to prisoner A non-incarcerated person who does not work in corrections can be the gateway of illicit traffic into a corrections facility. A common example is when a member of the public places a small amount of narcotics near the adhesive part of an envelope. Letter opening machines in the facility mail room typically leave these items untouched due to their design. This is how normal looking correspondence can actually be the tip of the iceberg in a deep narcotics ring. 4. Staff to prisoner The most shocking breach of trust is when staff members introduce any kind of contraband into the facility. For instance, saw blades can be transported to a prisoner inside the arms of a staff person's jacket. This is the most upsetting path of contraband traffic, because staff knows the potential dangers of smuggling. As sure as winter follows autumn, smuggling will always chase economic opportunities. Smuggling and contraband trade are not only tactics of the illicit prisoner economy, but also a permanent and persistent practice within the walls, which is a constant source of destabilization of authority. In an atmosphere where smuggling is not slowed or halted, conditions for danger increases. Here are some thoughts when trying to prevent contraband flow: Little things mean a lot. Staff may overlook seemingly innocuous items and deem them inconsequential in the larger scheme of things. However, this allows trade routes to remain open for more dangerous and valuable items, and allows contrabandists to assess staff tolerance and contraband control methods. Smuggling means power. Bootleg trade enhances the economic might of an inmate or groups of inmates. The more they earn in trade, the more they can barter for other goods and services. Prisoners who can purchase protection, for example, become agents of destabilization. Staff authority diminishes in such cases. Corrupt staffs who smuggle compromise facility security. They may start as opportunists, intending to squeeze money from an inmate, but their role becomes that of an unwilling pawn, helpless in the grip of a prisoner with leverage. Nuisance contraband, or small and somewhat harmless items, is a bigger hazard than they seem. Goods like tobacco, coffee, and pornography can grow into something quite substantial. Each small venture represents a building block for a potentially large and violent economic empire. Any smuggled good, no matter how small, may aid in an escape. This could potentially hurt any member of the community. Corrupt staff members and prisoners who smuggle do not deserve to get hurt as a punishment for their activities. They deserve conviction. However, there seems to be a bit of injustice in this equation. Innocent staffs seem to get hurt in the course of doing their jobs. Often this happens as a result of smuggling. The dangers are clear. But what can corrections professionals do to lessen the impact of the illicit economy? How do we thwart the would-be smuggler? There is no doubt that prisoners will always attempt to smuggle illicit items and trade contraband. It's inevitable. However, staff vigilance, planning and cooperation will always mitigate the potentially dangerous outcomes of the illegal prisoner economy. In other words, staff can make the hazards of prisoner smuggling evitable. About the Author Joseph Bouchard is a Librarian at Baraga Maximum Correctional Facility within the Michigan Department of Corrections. He is also a member of the Board of Experts for The Corrections Professional and an instructor of Corrections and Psychology for Gogebic Community College. He can be reached at (906) 353-7070 ext 1321. These are the opinions and not necessarily the opinions of the MIDOC. |
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