Inmates Prefer a Light Scentence

In Chapter 25 of Whiff!, Scent to the Slammer, the authors propose a novel approach to dealing with the tensions–even riots–which are frequently fostered in our overcrowded jails and prisons:

“Nostalgic scents might be used as a sort of behavioral modification reward system. Fresh cut grass, hay, Playdough, leather, ocean breeze, summer rain, women’s perfume, and any number of reminders of happier times could be offered as rewards for good behavior amongst the prisoners in a specific cellblock. These would be emotion-laden behavioral rewards in a place where the reward options are otherwise quite limited.”

According to an experiment conducted at the headquarters of the Rotterdam police in the Netherlands, the Whiff-Guys hit the nail right on the head. Led by Britte Evegaars of the Radboud University of Nijmegen, the six-month study involved the diffusion of orange oil at barely perceptible levels throughout the prison’s ventilation system, including the cells. The results were so stunning that the experiment was extended for an additional six months and is being considered for other prison facilities. “It’s amazing,” said Herma Heester, head of police social services. “Fighting in the cells has been dramatically reduced and we are using 10% fewer sedation drugs.” No small accomplishment, considering that Rotterdam has one of the highest crime rates in the Netherlands, with violent drug-related crimes accounting for more than half of the prisoners being housed. This reduction in sedative medications alone could save taxpayers as much as 665,000 Euros per year, not even figuring in medical treatment, property damage, and other costs associated with aggressive inmate behavior.

Further, as an additional and unexpected result of the experiment, guards reported that the detainees became more aware of their personal hygiene and requested more frequent showers, a phenomenon that social psychologist Henk Aarts attributes to the “clean and healthy” association most people attach to citrus fragrance.

If, however, a situation arises which cannot be dealt with through positive aroma therapy, the Whiff-Guys don’t hesitate to suggest the effectiveness of negative scent reinforcement which, while initially distasteful-sounding, is certainly a more humanitarian solution to prisoner uprisings and unruly behavior than rubber bullets and tear gas:

“If inmates refuse to respond to more traditional procedures, they could be more easily persuaded to get along if the consequences included the lingering stench of, for example, rotting fish.”