“Descent into Madness”

By Mark Colvin

Answers sought

• What were some of the main contributing factors that led to this outbreak of violence?

• How did the history and social structure in the New Mexico State Penitentiary (as well as the breakdown of that social structure) enable the riot and destruction to occur?

• Is the prison a microcosm of modern humanity? What, if anything, do the inmates have in common to members of greater society?

Main Ideas

• Stigmatizing of prisoners as violent is misguided

• Factors that led to riot:

*Poor Conditions

*Breakdown in inmate-administration relationship

*Inconsistency with discipline

*Snitch System, punitive

Methods Used

• Survey Method

• Historical Method (Examined history of State Prisons as well as context of environment in New Mexico Penitentiary).

Major Findings

• The fear created by violent confrontations led to inmates who

*submitted to exploitation inmates (“punks”)*Protection from officials (“snitches”)*Became leaders of violent movements (“good people”).• Inmates vied for violent reputations• Fragmentation of inmate society• Competition for quantity/quality killings during riot• Shift of tactics for inmate control, formation of violent

cliques main causes

Discussion questions

• What types of social dynamics do you see that emerged in the prison that contributed most to the riot?

• Do you think the disorganized nature of the riot amplified the violence?

• How does this incident relate to greater society?

• Why does the author include all the graphic descriptions of the riot, even down to the specific times that certain events occurred? Does this enhance his points?