Reason in prison: How emergencies are managed in the Italian penitentiary context

Purpose: The prison system is a complex structure in which staff members monitor the prison population with the aim of preventing and coping with possible emergency events. To examine how prison staff conceive plans to manage these events, the present study focuses on the qualitative analysis of critical events and the related coping strategies and conclusions drawn from each episode. Method: By drawing on 563 narrative forms completed by prison directors and prison officer commanders from all over Italian prisons, four coding families have been identified (the emergency event itself, strategies adopted to manage this event, knowledge gained from this event, and possible improvements to prevent future emergency events) as well as specific categories for each of them. Frequency and chi-square analyses were conducted to identify the differences in occurrences in each coding family and among categories for the type of emergency event. Results: The findings revealed significant differences both in the occurrence of different types of emergency events and in the way each type of event is managed, as well as in the specific knowledge gained from the experienced event and possible improvements to prevent future emergency events. Conclusions: According to the data collected, it seems fair to assume that the management of emergencies in prisons is not a problem that concerns a linear mode of intervention but includes several factors—personal, structural, procedural, and relational factors—which together influence the effectiveness of coping with emergencies. The results have been discussed according to the relevant literature on the topic