The Maleval Project | File 02 | Guard Uniforms

Author: themalevalproject
Title: The Maleval Project | File #02 | Guard Uniforms
Date: 10 April 2015

"I'm really satisfied with your first scetch, Mr. Griffin. Good work. And I see that you understood exactly what I expect. This looks really authoritative, and it will provide good protection for the wearer. Now, please take this scetch and make it even more intimidating. Your first idea was already great, now go further in the same direction. Don't be afraid to go over the top. Use whatever material, cut, straps or badges you think will maximise an authoritative look. Anyone who will see a man in this uniform should immediately feel frightened. Really frightened. Make our uniforms heavier than anything you've ever done before, even more sinister. Use thicker leather, heavier boots, add more pieces of equipment. Try whatever comes to your mind. Don't think of what would be practical or comfortable to wear. Just do anything to make the men in these uniforms look mean and sadistic. Our inmates should look at their guards and think 'Fuck, these guys will turn my life into hell.'"

"No problem, Sir. We have already produced some really massive and scary outfits for some of our private customers. And if we may leave aside the wearer's convenience and use some stiffer and heavier material than usual, we can of course boost the visual effect to the extreme. In consequence, your new uniforms just may turn out to be quite uncomfortable to wear. As you will imagine, it can be really unpleasant to wear full leathers and solid tall boots, especially if you're not allowed to take them off for longer periods."

"I know that, not only from imagination."

"Fine, Sir. If this is not a problem, we can definitely make each of your officers look like a walking nightmare."

"Perfect. This is the first target. Comfort is the second aspect. But rather in the opposite way than you seem to assume."

"Excuse me, Sir, I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"I mean that I WANT the new uniforms to be uncomfortable. Probably I should have mentioned this earlier and make it completely clear. While making the uniforms look most intimidating to other people, your second target should be to make them as uncomfortable as possible for the men who'll have to wear them. Make them heavy, stiff, thick and tight. Not to the extent that the wearer becomes unable to do his job, but you should go to the brink of bearability. Maybe even a little bit over that brink. Each of our guards should feel uncomfortable in his leather from the first minute after putting it on. Ideally, they would already start to feel a little bit claustrophobic before they are even in full uniform. If the men start to curse their new uniforms after a few hours of wearing them, beg for permission to take them off and desperately wish to get their old drill uniforms back, you'll have done a perfect job."

"Of course we can do that, Sir. It's not the first time that one of our customers asks for this. But may I ask – why?"

"Look, as you know, my mission is to turn this facility into a high-security prison. Prison security has many different aspects, one of them being the mental condition of the correctional personnel.
We did several studies about the influence that uniforms have on the emotions and behaviour of their wearers, and we found something interesting. We compared the behaviour of different groups of prison guards on their routine duty. One group got normal drill uniforms, one had to wear leather jackets and tall boots, and the third group was obligated to wear full leather uniforms. We found out that, even without any other changes, the inmates were more respectful and disciplined when the officers were wearing tall boots, and even much more obedient when their guards were in full leather. After some time, their stress level rose significantly from just hearing the sound of the guards' iron-soled boots, and even from merely hearing the creaking of their leathers. Simply putting the guards into some more intimidating uniforms made the convicts more afraid and compliant.
But interestingly, also the guards in leather were significantly more ruthless, aggressive and efficient with handling the prisoners than the other ones were. Tall boots already had a significant effect. The guards in tall boots and full leather, including muir caps and leather cop gloves, showed the best results.
Then we tested uniforms with nearly the same look, but made some of them much more inconvenient than the others. For one group, we exchanged the drill cloth with a rubberized material that made the guards sweat like hell inside their uniforms. A second group had to wear heavy lead-filled vests under their uniforms all day. A third group was put into some extra strong drill uniforms that we had measured to be uncomfortably tight from the top to the bottom: Their shirts and collars, belts and breeches. We even supplied each of them with a pair of tall boots that were half a number too tight for his feet. The men could press themselves into these uniforms and still do their job, but the uniforms were so tight and stiff that they hindered every single movement. We also combined different of these methods. Again, the officers in the more uncomfortable uniforms were more likely to behave aggressive to the prisoners. They were less sympathetic and more ready to hand out harsh punishments without any hesitation. They did not have any merci with the inmates.
And this effect got stronger, the more we increased the permanent discomfort of the men, especially when we combined weight, thickness, impermeability and tightness. There seemed to be no point where this effect stopped to increase or even turn to the opposite. More discomfort in the uniforms means more aggression of the guards who wear them. More isolating material means less feelings of pity with convicts.
Finally, we found out that the effect was strongest when we ordered the officers to stay in full uniform all the time, even when they were off duty. They identified more completely with their role when they were forbidden to wear civilian clothes in their free time. The men who were ordered to spend all day in full leather uniform and tall boots, in and off duty, were the most unscrupulous, aggressive and efficient prison guards. We could increase this effect even more when we forced them to stay fully leathered up all day even during the weekends and their holidays. Regardless of their complaints about the discomfort they felt in their heavy leathers, especially in summer, these men were simply the best guards, ready to enforce the strictest discipline and security."

"I see what you mean."

"And I want agressive officers here. I want them to be brutal and merciless. Always ready to enforce any severe treatment or hand out any brutal punishment that the facility management finds appropriate. To guarantee strict discipline. And I want frightened and obedient convicts.
So, as we know that intimidating guard uniforms make the convicts obey better, let's put our guards into such uniforms. As boots seem to be of crucial importance, we'll supply them with solid tall boots. As black leather is proven to have the best effect, we'll pack them all into black leather from head to toe. And as uncomfortable uniforms can help me with enforcing the strictest discipline, all our correctional officers will be fitted into the thickest, tightest and heaviest uniforms that we can get.
No matter how they'll complain, and regardless of how weird it might seem to some people: In a few weeks I want all my officers to gleam of polished black leather from head to toe. No matter if they work in the cell wings or in the administration offices: Every man who is working in this facility will be required to wear full black leather, without exception."

"So, we'll search for the thickest leather with the deepest black shine that we can find, ask our shoemakers to design the most solid tall boots they ever made ..."

"From here on, I'll leave the details up to you. As long as you make all our men creak of leather with every move."

"I think that I got the idea, Sir."

"Very good. So, gentlemen, let's go to work. Officer Rodiguez, you will be fitted into the first prototype. Please follow Mr. Griffin to have yourselve measured."


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For "The Maleval Project | File #1 | Prologue". look in Stories Archive, September 2014, or here: http://themalevalproject.tumblr.com/