The Federal Administrative Maximum Penitentiary, Florence, Colorado

Policies for the control of dangerous and disruptive prisoners in European penal institutions depend upon social regimes managed by prison staff. These contrast with certain US regimes where there is increasing use of the incapacitation approach. This paper describes an incapacitation regime developed in the US Federal Administrative Maximum Penitentiary (ADX), Florence, Colorado which is complemented by an architectural design minimizing contact between prisoners and staff. This is reported to have been highly effective in controlling violent and predatory behaviour, escapes, drug-taking, and the influence of members of criminal gangs and notorious prisoners transferred to the ADX. Despite a shift of policy from therapeutic intervention towards deterrence of problem behaviour in prisons in some European countries, such as the UK, it is unlikely that such a regime would be acceptable in Europe.