What would you have done in the SPE?

JulianTheApostate · Junior Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 308 Gender:

Suppose you were a prisoner or guard in the Stanford Prison Experiment. How would you have reacted?

It might be interesting for you to answer that question before they read the book's detailed depiction of events. You can revisit the question after seeing what happened.

Chris OConnor · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 11:29 pm Post subject:

What also might be interesting is to do a live chat with Frank, one of our moderators on booktalk. Frank recently graduated from training and is now working as a Corrections Officer in a New York prison. Being in the prison as a guard has to change you. I'd like to get Frank's input here.

MadArchitect · Last edited by MadArchitect on Wed Nov 07, 2007 2:02 am; edited 5 times in total

Mr. Pessimistic

Aubrey.Alexis · Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 1:52 am Post subject: Prisoners vs. Guards

I really found it most interesting to know that nobody wanted to be assigned to be a guard when the initial interviews were being held.

I didn't have that reaction at all when hearing how the members of the experiment were being found and assigned. I would have instinctively wanted to be a guard.

Frank 013 · Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:55 pm Post subject:

I know a little about the study being discussed here (we actually discussed it in the academy) there are several factors that I found attributed to the abuse in that situation.

First of all the time it was conducted; meaning that modern prisons do not run like they were 30 years ago. The prisoners have more rights now and most have a good knowledge of what those rights are.

There is also an inmate grievance process that is mandatory for staff to acknowledge. This program leaves a paper trail of an inmate’s treatment; that material is reviewed as high up as the superintendent.

There also seems to be an almost universal ignorance of a correction officer’s responsibilities among the civilian population. If any thing happens during an officer’s watch that officer is ultimately responsible, from fights and rape to suicide if an officer is found negligent they could face criminal charges (this happens rather frequently)

It also seems that the administrators of the study had a certain level of ignorance regarding the treatment and rights of prisoners as well. I am certain that most of the “guards” violated procedures and laws that they would never be able to get away with in a real penal setting.

In the study the guards were given almost total authority; this is not even close to the case in a modern prison.

There is an internal affairs office in corrections and they do have agents working undercover in the prisons.

Later

Ophelia · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 7:35 am Post subject:

Hi Frank,

I agree with what has been written in the postings above, I think the results of an experiment conducted on university students who knew they were in an experiment should be taken very cautiously.

What you write about people not knowing much about the system is interesting.

Do you know about any books about prisons in the US that you think are reasonably balanced and could be a source of information for someone like me ( it seems that the little I have read is the "Apocalypse now " type or comedy/ out of touch with reality type) ?

irishrose · Freshman Joined: 22 Sep 2007 Posts: 215 Gender:

Evelyn, I’m going to throw this in here as a response to your question. I saw a clip of a PBS series, America at a Crossroads: Homegrown: Islam in Prison, the other night and thought it might interest some of the people reading this book. I only got to watch a bit of it, because I was at a friend’s house. But, just from the title you can tell that it doesn’t speak directly to the book topic, so I didn’t want to open a new thread on it. The main focus is obviously about how America’s prisons are reportedly becoming training grounds for radical, terroristic forms of Islam. (I’m not sure how much of this is rhetoric though.) But it does talk about the sedentary life of an inmate, and goes into overcrowding. As I recall it's airing through the early part of December.

Also, and again I didn’t see it, but I think it was Ted Koppel who recently did a piece on prison overcrowding. The judge I work with, who spent years as a defense attorney and often traveled to state lock-up and now works on a judiciary board who tours state prisons, said it was an excellent piece.

Obviously, noting your location, these are both U.S. films, so sorry if they're no help to you. But I thought our U.S. members might be interested in trying to catch the PBS spot.

JulianTheApostate · Junior Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 308 Gender:

Frank, thanks for providing your input.

Frank 013 · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 3:07 pm Post subject:

I am submitting my responces to the above comments to the new thread Prisons in the real world.


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