Enforcing Institutional Regulations in Prison Settings

Abstract

Although gambling is permitted in free society, it is prohibited in all detention facilities under the jurisdiction of the Province of Quebec. In this article, the authors focus on correctional officers’ opinions concerning this regulation, as well as their reasons for choosing whether or not to enforce it. The absence of disciplinary reports issued in this regard confirms that coercion is rarely, if ever, used to counter this activity. When interventions do occur, they are aimed less at the act of betting than at the associated undesirable behaviors, such as disturbing the peace in the cellblock. Many of the guards interviewed see gambling as a positive leisure activity, in the sense that it generates negative impacts only occasionally. It even makes their work easier because pleasure eases tensions and helps maintain tranquility in the block. Since this activity does not usually jeopardize the safety of the correctional population or the prison staff, it is often used as a conciliation tool, which is evidence of the guards’ discretionary power.