Security and Control in Custodial Care

To achieve the distinction criteria I will be evaluating the need for security and control in thecustodial environment. Security and control in the custodial environment is the differentlevels of security procedures in place within the custodial environment such as physical, dynamic and procedural and control is the measures taken to ensure the safety of bothprisoners and staff. Security and control is needed in a custodial care environment as people are sent there for a reason so if they were allowed to do to do whatever they want it wouldn’t be a punishment. An advantage of having control is that the staff will always have authority over the prisoners, which is vital as it enables them to enforce discipline. Another advantage of having control is that they can keep an account of the offences that prisoners have Committed before and during the time they have spent within the custodial environment. this will come in useful if the prisoner has an adjudication it will also come in useful if the prisoner has a review.

Having the IEP scheme in the custodial care environment is a good thing as it encourages the prisoners to display the appropriate standard of behaviour whilst serving time in prison this will make security and control easier to manage as the scheme deters prisoners from behaving inappropriately. It also makes prison life more enjoyable for the prisoner which lowers the risk of re offending whilst in prison. Another aspect of security which is an advantage to both staff and prisoners is dynamic Security. Prison officers monitor the prisoners to ensure that they are coping with life in prison. This lowers the risk of self-harming and suicide.

A downside to security within a custodial environment is the cost of the security devices used such as the CCTV, thumb detection devices to access keys, key swab operated gates into every part of the prison from the reception to the wings to the visiting area. There is also the cost of repairing or replacing the wide range of security devices within the custodial environment. As a result of an increase in security devices, procedures and control schemes in place within a custodial environment there is a need for more staff to man security devices and impose security procedures and control schemes such as the IEP scheme. This is something that increases the funding needed to put the above in place which costs the tax payers greatly.

Due to the need for a high level of control within the custodial environment it has led tosome prison officers becoming corrupt due to the amount of power they are given whilst imposing control. By his I mean officers will become involved in unlawful activity such as smuggling drugs or other contraband into the custodial environment or allowing prisoners to bribe them to ignore criminal activity within the custodial facility.