Prisons in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are run not so much by prison guards as by inmates. In circumstances of severe overcrowding and acute staff shortage, prisoners are recruited or organise themselves, not only to perform clerical and janitorial work, but also to provide for welfare, discipline and security. Such inmate governance is as much a defining feature of Brazilian prison life as are inhumane living conditions. In recent years the roles played by inmates in managing the day‐to‐day running of Brazilian prisons have been largely subsumed by prison gangs. However, staff‐inmate relations remain characterised less by conflict and power as by accommodation and reciprocity.
Despite its original vision of a community of ex-convict criminological and criminal justice experts, Convict Criminology has had difficulty with international expansion and has remained largely a North American movement. There are many reasons why this has occurred. This paper reviews the efforts that have been made to internationalize Convict Criminology in Europe and discusses some of the barriers it has faced. It also suggests prospects for moving the field forward in a truly international manner and the problems that this entails.2
Introduction: Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS), especially Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists (SCRAs), pose a substantial challenge to health and the security of the prison environment. This study analyses the phenomenon from the perspective of people in prison and that of professionals working with them. Methods: A phenomenological qualitative approach was used to analyze self-reported experiences with 'Spice' (NPS) among users in prison. A semi-structured questionnaire was also disseminated among professionals working in these settings to better understand (a) the impact of NPS on their work; (b) perceived issues on safety in their working environment; (c) approaches used to tackle the phenomenon and best practices. Results: Psychotic events resulting from the collected Spice accounts (5) were marked by hallucinations, depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideations. Other emerging elements included fear, paranoia, inability to be with others, mistrust, breakdown and other risky behaviors. Overall, 186 responses from prison staff were collected across the country. 67% claimed NPS to have had a deep impact on their work as they commonly witnessed espisodes involving outbursts of anger, slurred speech, hallucinations, psychosis, and significant mental deterioration among those in prison. Some 91% have witnessed aggression at least once, with 53% experiencing direct harm. Suggested interventions included enhanced training and education (84%), improved detection (92%) and treatment and support services (93%). Conclusions: Findings highlight the urgent need for joint multidisciplinary efforts to tackle the exponential escalation of NPS in prisons as well as to facilitate the recovery and
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