Positives and Negatives to Physical Security in Prisons

1. Physical security such as bars in windows and fences around prisons has been proven to be secure and safe as they are hard to get through or damage. Also for the public they can physically see that there are precautions measures in place to prevent harm to them from the prisoners, therefore making them feel safer and putting more trust into the system.

2. Because these physical measures are so good and protective, prisoners are less likely to try and escape as they know it won't work or will be challenging for them. Measures that are in place such as searches, can keep control and authority with the officers and keep them safe and protected while doing their job as they are able to keep control over the prisoners and prevent any harm from contraband.

3. Physical security measures such as cells are a good way for prison officers to maintain control of prisoners and supervise them easily. If there has been a mental health incident and prisoners need to be closely monitored, they can do this from the cell while keeping both the inmate and the officers safe from harms way but while also looking after that well-being of the inmate at the same time.

4. If escape was going to occur, security measures such as fences can delay this as they are hard or impossible to get over/out from, which gives officers time to stop the escape and maintain control.

5. Physical security needs to be of good quality to make sure it works, and this means that it is going to be expensive. No cost is too much for safety but installing and ensuring that they are compeletly safe is time consuming and expensive.

6. Also physical security does not always stop criminal activity, you cant search everyone all the time and contraband and unsafe articles can still enter the prison and even though there are these big cells and fences in places, some people still manage to escape or even get items inside the prison.

7. Physical security can be quite restrictive to ensure that supervision and control can be maintained within the prison. however this restrictive living conditions can be seen as a poor quality of life and could cause mental health issues which can make their stay at the prison harder and more unsafe to them and officers and cause threats to the rehabilitation process for them.