Resource mobilization and the reduction of prison violence

Access to organizational resources decreases the level of violence in prison by reducing inmate alienation or “powerlessness.’ Staff and inmates constitute conflicting interest groups, competing for control over the daily routines of prisoners. Resources that increase the relative power of inmate groups increase the likelihood of violent confrontations between groups, whereas resources that increase an inmate's personal control of his or her fate reduce violence. Everyday disputes are transformed into serious matters when they represent an affront to an inmate's self-respect, particularly when disputes persist without resolution. Third-party dispute resolution reduces the level of violence by providing an alternative to the violent “recipes for action” that inmates derive from the wider culture.