Isolation Enhanced: Some Questions on Units for the So-Called Dangerous Inmates

Abstract

The article is an attempt to describe the wards for so-called dangerous prisoners by defining their place and role in the Polish penitentiary system. The starting point for the discussion is to question the accuracy of the term ‘dangerous prisoner’. Considering its legitimacy, the author tries to define the term in both an etymological and a moral context, on the grounds that it has not been defined in any official legal act. To this end, the author familiarises the reader with his doubts concerning the use of the word ‘dangerous’ with regard to people. The etymological problems arise mainly from the difficulty of defining the inventory of features that should be included in the term, primarily the permanence in time and objective categorisation. Moreover, it follows from the article that a person may be considered dangerous only after committing an act of that nature. In turn, in an ethical context such naming violates the rhetoric common in the social discourse of respect for human dignity and recognition of the uniqueness of each individual. Lasocik’s text explains and analyses what a prison ward for dangerous inmates is in fact (a specially marked-off area within a penitentiary) and conceptually (the feeling of hyper-isolation on the part of both the dangerous inmates and the staff of the Penitentiary Service). The author does not hesitate to call such a ward a ‘prison within a prison’. The empirical material presented here comes from an analysis of studies conducted by the author in 2007–08 as part of a research project entitled A preliminary assessment of the functioning of wards for ‘dangerous prisoners’. The project sought to analyse the experiences of ten inmates selected according to the length of time during which they belonged to the category of prisoners who are considered especially dangerous. The empirical underpinnings rested onan examination of the files of selected inmates and interviews conductedwith them. The issues addressed in the project mainly concerned the social effects of hyper-isolation, the reasons for qualifying prisoners in this category, the treatment of dangerous prisoners, and their relations with relatives and the Prison Service. The key finding presented in the article is the definition of the role of the dangerous ward in the Polish penitentiary system. The conclusions show the introduction of dangerous prisoner wards in Poland as a revolution that has not been entirely successful. Highlighting its weaknesses, Lasocik draws attention especially to the incompatibility of the end results with the earlier plans for setting up the wards and the insufficient consultation with specialists in the field. According to the author, although this measure did indeed lead to an increase in revenue to the budget of the Polish prison system, it did not in any way translate into increased social, cultural, or educational work with prisoners. The funds have only contributed to technical improvements of this type of facility, such as the purchase of electronic equipment. In addition, no positive action is taken with respect to the detainees in such establishments, as it is not expected that they will ever cease to be considered dangerous,and there are no rules for dealing with dangerous prisoners who are to leave the prison in the future. The author’s accurate observation leads to the conclusion that inmates in dangerous wards are not included in the re-socialisation process.