Understanding Prison Management in the Philippines: A Case for Shared Governance

Current prison management models strictly prohibit inmates from assisting with prison administration or governance. This is feasible in developed countries where governments can provide adequate resources, security, and personnel. It is not, however, realistic in developing countries like the Philippines, which is characterized by poverty, corruption, and underresourcing of correctional facilities. In such circumstances, inmate leaders tend to share governance with prison administrators. Despite occurring out of necessity, not by design, this system normalizes social conditions within a prison. This article examines the ramifications of such a shared governance model for correctional management by means of ethnographic research.