Resume
Preventing COVID-19 in the Execution of Prison Sentences: Unintended Security Consequences?
PhDr. Petr Juříček, Ph.D., Ambis University, Department of Security and Law
doc. PhDr. Josef Smolík, Ph.D., MBA, LL.M., MSc., Police Academy of the Czech Republic in Prague, Faculty of Security Management, Department of Security Studies
Abstract
The text focuses on the relationship between anti-pandemic measures and their implementation in the execution of the prison sentence. The article analyses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the operation of correctional facilities through specific examples and legislative measures. It primarily describes measures related to disinfectants in the context of their abuse, particularly as these agents are perceived as a risk factor for the treatment of incarcerated alcoholics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of misuse and consumption of disinfectants were present, which not only posed health risks to the inmates but also led to increased conflict behaviour and aggression among intoxicated individuals. The text includes a sociological survey that sheds light on the issue based on a limited number of respondents. This sociological survey complements the theoretical text and diagnoses a research problem that desires further investigation. Experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic in carceral settings could be beneficial if similar situations were to recur. The text is theoretically grounded in Robert Merton’s approach, who described the phenomenon of unintended consequences.
Keywords: security, disinfection, COVID-19, alcohol, aggression, conflicts.