2. The Social World of the Prisoner
Chapter 4
The Social World of the Prisoner

3. Overall Population 2 million in prisons and jails
  Who Is In Prison?
Overall Population
2 million in prisons and jails
Rate of imprisonment may be slowing down

4. Race and Gender (1 of 2) Go to Rates for men
Rates for men
Black men – 3,437/100,000
Hispanic men – 1,176/100,000
White men 450/100,000

5. Race and Gender (2 of 2) Rates for women
Black women – 191/100,000
Hispanic women – 80/100,000
White women 35/100,000
Rate of growth for women is higher but still means smaller numbers

6. Persons in Prison by Type of Crime
49% are sentenced for violent crime
19% are sentenced for property crimes
20% are sentenced for drug crimes
Difference between statistic of total prison population versus admitted population
% of violent, property, and drug offenders
Decrease in % of total population of violent offenders between 1985–1990
Decrease in property offenders
Increase in drug offenders

7. Sentence Length and Time Served
Average sentence length decreased
Percentage of time served has increased
Average prison sentence is 3 years

8. Age and Education
Young and uneducated
41% have no high school diploma

9. The Prison as a Social Setting
Total institution
Separate system v. congregate system
Both created isolated world of prison
Isolated world creates unique prisoner subculture
Researching the Prisoner Subculture
Participant observation (examples)
Survey
Other?

10. The Process of Imprisonment (1 of 3)
Degradation Ceremonies
Stripping of outside identity
Everyone the same, no individuality
Getting “Cliqued On” and “Ho Checked”
Tests by prisoners and guards

11. The Process of Imprisonment (2 of 3)
Inmate code
Rules, language, roles, values
How does it develop?
Deprivations
Liberty, goods and services, heterosexual relationships, autonomy, security

12. The Process of Imprisonment (3 of 3)
Deprivation theory (Gresham Sykes)
The subculture is created to meet the prisoner’s needs
Importation theory (Irwin and Cressey)
Roles, language, values imported from street
Research supports both theories
Zimbardo experiment

13. Prisons From the 1940s to the 1960s (1 of 4)
The Inmate Code
Don’t rat, don’t interfere, etc.
Women’s code not same as men’s
Eroded since the 1940s
Prisoner Slang
Argot: symbolic expression of solidarity
Snitch, fish, “dawg,” others?

14. Prisons From the 1940s to the 1960s (2 of 4)
Prisoner Roles
Argot roles: based on activities, values
Schrag: square john, con politician, right guy, outlaw
Women’s roles? Giallombardo’s
Prisoner Values
Group loyalty, violence, resistance, strength
Violence is a central theme
Snitches are another theme of prison life
Sanctions: different in men’s and women’s prisons

15. Prisons From the 1940s to the 1960s (3 of 4)
Homosexuality and Rape
Men’s prisons – wolves & punks
Women’s prisons – consensual (“butches”)
Pseudofamilies not found in men’s prisons
Measurement difficult to estimate true extent of homosexuality
1–7% forced sex; 15–20% some form of sexual victimization
Prison Rape Elimination Act 2003

16. Prisons From the 1940s to the 1960s (4 of 4)
 Adapting to Prison: Prisonization
Goffman
Situational withdrawal, intransigent line, colonization, conversion
Pattern of prisonization
Linear, U-shaped curve

17. Prisons From the 1960s to the 1980s
Changing Free World
Massive social change; recognition of “rights” of Blacks, juveniles, women, etc.
Use of social activism to induce social change 
Changing Prison World
Civil rights extended to prison; Black activists were incarcerated as were students
Use of group organized activity (including riots)
Use of litigation
Black awareness led to race-based gangs

18. Prisons From the 1980s to Today (1 of 4)
Major issue was prison population explosion
Prisoner rights movement
Minorities came to represent majority
Changes to the Inmate Code and Subculture
Greater emphasis of race
Greater need to isolate and stay out of yard activity
Similar changes in women’s prison

19. Prisons From the 1980s to Today (2 of 4)
Prison Gangs
Stems from ethnic identification of 1960s
Best known gangs in Illinois, California, and Texas
Gangs – black market
Texas – came after dismantling of building tenders in late 1980s
Women do not have obvious or prevalent gang activity

20. Prisons From the 1980s to Today (3 of 4)
Racial Conflict in Prisons
Perception is that racial violence is pervasive
Trulson and Marquart found that racial violence did not escalate with integration
Disproportionate violence perpetrated by small number of inmates

21. Prisons From the 1980s to Today (4 of 4)
The Black Market in Prisons
Contraband – anything against the rules
Anything is for sale including sex 
Responses to the Violent Prison Today: Containing Extraordinary Prisoners
Super-max – marginally successful in keeping gang communications to a minimum

22. Change and Survival in the Prisoner Subculture Today
Avoiding “The Mix”: Niches and Sanctuaries in the Prisoner Subculture
Niche – sanctuary, protected living situation