Body-Worn Cameras Behind the Walls: Use of Force, Critical Incidents, and Role-Contingent Implementation in a High-Security Prison

Abstract Body-worn cameras (BWCs) are expanding into corrections, yet prison-based evidence remains limited. This mixed-methods study examined an early BWC implementation in a high-security prison in a southeastern state prison system, integrating administrative incident data from the pilot and three comparison facilities with frontline officer surveys and specialized emergency response interviews. During the BWC active period, the pilot facility’s documented critical incident rate declined from 19.4 to 8.0 per 1,000 average daily population per month, and use of force declined from 8.0 to 3.7; comparable reductions were not observed in comparison facilities. Frontline officers reported ambivalence, citing documentation benefits alongside workload, discretion, surveillance, and reliability concerns. Emergency response officers moved from reluctance to support when BWCs aligned with tactical documentation, after-action review, training, and staff protection. Findings highlight the role-contingent nature of correctional BWC implementation.