Situational Prison Control

Richard Wortley is Head of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, Brisbane. He has a PhD in psychology from Macquarie University, Sydney, and began his career as a prison psychologist in the New South Wales prison system, a position he held for nine years. It was his experience in prisons that convinced Dr Wortley of the crucial role of the immediate environment in shaping human behaviour in general and prisoner behaviour in particular. During this period he was involved in the establishment of the first unit management facility in an Australian prison (Bathurst Gaol), and the success of these units in reducing violence showed him that positive change in prison was possible. Since taking up a university position he has taught and researched in the areas of corrections and crime prevention. Recent articles have appeared in Law and Human Behaviour, the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Crime Prevention Studies and Studies in Crime and Crime Prevention. He is currently National Chair of the Australian College of Forensic Psychologists.

• Part I. Theoretical Foundations: 1. Introduction: why situational prison control?; 2. Situational theories of prison behaviour; 3. Situational methods of prison control; 4. A model of situational prison control; Part II. Specific Behaviours: 5. Prisoner-prisoner violence; 6. Sexual assaults; 7. Prisoner-staff violence; 8. Self harm; 9. Drug use; 10. Escapes; 11. Collective disorder; Part III. Conclusions: 12. Hard and soft situational prison control.

"...Wortley's pragmatic approach makes this a particularly interesting book. His application of the situational crime prevention strategy to concrete, everyday, real prison management dilemmas makes this a different approach in its own right. Wortley deftly moves from theory to application, all within the framework of 'opportunity reduction'". Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare