NCJ Number
7351
Date Published
1964
Length
260 pages
Annotation
ASPECTS OF THE INMATE SYSTEM RELATED TO VALUES AND INMATE GROUPINGS RANGING FROM THE CONCEPT OF AN INMATE BODY TO THE IMPACT OF THE PRISON ON ITS INVOLUNTARY MEMBERS.
Abstract
IN A TREATMENT ORIENTED PRISON IN CALIFORNIA THE INMATES TENDED TO BE A HETEROGENEOUS POPULATION, THRUST TOGETHER IN AN INVOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION WITH OVERLAPPING VALUE SYSTEMS RATHER THAN AN ALL PERVASIVE ONE. VALUE SYSTEM WAS INCONSTANT, OFTEN FICKLE, AND MORE CLOSELY IDENTIFIED WITH THAT OF THE FREE COMMUNITY THAN AN UNDERWORLD CODE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A SMALL GROUP OF VALUE CARRIERS WHO SEEMED TO CLING TO AN INMATE CODE AND TO INFLUENCE BOTH STAFF AND INMATE SYSTEMS DISPROPORTIONATE TO THEIR MINORITY STATUS. THE STAFF SYSTEMS OF SOCIAL CONTROL WERE LARGELY BASED ON THEIR REACTION TO THIS MINORITY, THE INMATE'S PUBLIC EXPRESSION OF VALUES WAS AN OVERGENERALIZATION OF THE MINORITIES' VIEWS TO MOST OTHER INMATES. IN TIMES OF CRISIS BOTH SYSTEMS RALLIED AROUND THEIR RESPECTIVE IDEAL VALUES, CREATING THE MOMENTARY AND VICARIOUS ILLUSION OF SOLIDARY OPPOSITION AND COLLUSION. THE STRONGEST MAGNETS THAT ATTRACTED INMATES IN THEIR ASSOCIATIVE PATTERNS WERE AGE AND ETHNICITY. WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THESE TWO ASSOCIATIVE ATTRACTIONS, GROUPS WERE FORMED AND FRIENDSHIPS FASHIONED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROXIMITY, MUTUAL INTERESTS, SIMILARITIES IN ATTITUDES, AND ALL THE USUAL ELEMENTS THAT DRAW PEOPLE TOGETHER, FOR THE MOMENT, OR ETERNALLY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)