NCJ Number
25935
Journal
California Youth Authority Quarterly Volume: 27 Issue: 3 Dated: (FALL 1974) Pages: 21-27
Date Published
1974
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES THE INSTITUTIONAL PROCESSES WHICH AFFECT THE INMATE'S SENSE OF IDENTITY, AND DESCRIBES THE ADJUSTMENTS MADE BY INMATES IN ORDER TO COPE WITH THESE INSTITUTIONAL CONDITIONS AND PROCESSES.
Abstract
THREE MAJOR PROCESSES INHERENT IN PRISON LIFE WHICH AFFECT THE IDENTITY CONCEPT OF INMATES ARE DESCRIBED: DISCULTURATION (THE ACQUISITION OF INSTITUTIONAL VALUES AND ATTITUDES); DE-INDIVIDUALIZATION; AND ISOLATION FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD. THE EFFECTS OF EACH OF THESE PROCESSES ARE DESCRIBED. THE AUTHOR NOTES, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT DISCULTURATION MAY RESULT IN AN INMATE ACQUIRING RACIAL PREJUDICES WHICH HE DID NOT HAVE BEFORE INSTITUTIONALIZATION. DE-INDIVIDUALIZATION, THE AUTHOR STATES, MAY RESULT IN INMATE ACCEPTANCE OF NEGATIVE LABELS AND NEGATIVE SELF-CONCEPTS. FEELINGS OF ISOLATION MAY CAUSE AN INMATE TO BELIEVE THAT HE IS FORGOTTEN BY THE OUTSIDE WORLD. TWO METHODS USED BY INMATES TO CONSTRUCT AN INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY ARE THEN DESCRIBED: THE 'JAIL-HOUSE FRONT' IN WHICH AN INMATE ASSUMES TYPICAL BEHAVIORAL PATTERN SUCH AS 'TOUGH GUY' OR 'CON'; AND GROUP AFFILIATION.