Visualising prison violence: exploring the micro-dynamics of violence in men's prisons using video data

Abstract

The present thesis presents an exploratory study in the field of prison violence. Until recently, most research on physical violence, both in and outside of prison, has been concerned with background and causal factors as well as social and structural contexts, leaving out the actual moments of violent action. A novel research trend, Visual Data Analysis (VDA), emerging from one of the major theories of violence of recent times (Collins, 2008), draws on photos and video footage to shift the focus towards interactions and behaviour observable in violent incidents. The VDA method allows for studying the micro-dynamics of physical violence by means of video-footage. Employing CCTV and mobile device-footage of violent incidents from YouTube as empirical material in combination with focus group interviews with current prison officers and ex-prisoners, the thesis contributes to the micro-sociology of violence, particularly prison violence, by examining the strengths and limitations of video data sampled online - as a general method as well as in the specific context of prison violence research - thus addressing a gap in the field of VDA research. At the same time, it tests the applicability of Collins’ theory of violence to the prison setting, i.e., to a non-public context to which it has not previously been applied. By analysing interactional processes and expressions of emotion and discussing interpretations of these with individuals familiar with the prison setting, the thesis finds that audiences in prisoner-on-prisoner fights regulate both the severity and the course of the fights; where (co-prisoner) audiences exhibit enthusiasm through cheers and encouragements, fights are prolonged, a finding which echoes Collins’ (2008) observations of audience impact. The analysis further suggests that prison officers who exhibit anger or aggression through shouting, giving orders, or by invading prisoners' personal space provoke prisoners to exhibit similar behaviours or to use violence against the officers. Lastly, the study also shows that officers who exhibit fear through struggles to control bodily movements allow prisoners to take charge of the course of interaction, i.e., to gain or maintain emotional dominance, and to use violence, a dynamic resonating with Collins’ (2008) notion of how violent interactions are initiated. Based on the findings, the thesis is able to present implications of technical features for future video research drawing on online-sampled data, thus contributing to a furthering of the VDA method. The findings have also laid a foundation for (indicative) practical suggestions for prison officer training based on both Collins’ micro-dynamic approach and the VDA method. This highlights the potential of using video recordings of real-life incidents in the design of this type of training. The thesis concludes that Collins’ theory holds promising potential in furthering the understanding of the dynamics of (especially) escalation and de-escalation of potentially violent encounters – with or without the presence of audiences - between prisoners and between officers and prisoners, and thus for future development in the field of violence prevention and intervention in the prison context