Prison Riots as Organizational Failures: A Managerial Perspective

Most explanations of prison riots implicitly regard the causes of rebellious inmate behavior as the determinants of a riot's outcome. But little attention has been paid to the course of a riot. Here it is argued that what happens during the riot itself will influence the scope and outcome of that riot. In this article, the focus is on crisis management. We contend that the way in which prison administrations prepare for and handle this type of crisis can make the difference between a small-scale disturbance and a full-fledged riot. Crisis management should therefore be considered a critical variable in explaining a riot's outcome.