The term "lockdown" originated in prison systems as a mechanism to control and modify the behavior of prisoners. When a fight between prisoners or prison gangs occurred, or the prison administration detected a threat to its authority, the prison would go on immediate lockdown and prisoners ordered to return to their cells. Alternatively, in some chaotic situation, prisoners would be order to remain in place and not move. Guards and the prison administration would be ordered to return to their duty stations to assess and surveil the situation. In more extreme examples, such a riot, the administration had options to call in off-duty guards for assistance to contain the situation. If the situation escalated, options to ask for state police assistance or national guard were the decision of the warden. | The term "lockdown" originated in prison systems as a mechanism to control and modify the behavior of prisoners. When a fight between prisoners or prison gangs occurred, or the prison administration detected a threat to its authority, the prison would go on immediate lockdown and prisoners ordered to return to their cells. Alternatively, in some chaotic situation, prisoners would be order to remain in place and not move. Guards and the prison administration would be ordered to return to their duty stations to assess and surveil the situation. In more extreme examples, such a riot, the administration had options to call in off-duty guards for assistance to contain the situation. If the situation escalated, options to ask for state police assistance or national guard were the decision of the warden. |