PRISON SEXUALIZATION - INMATE ADAPTATIONS TO PSYCHO-SEXUAL STRESS

• NCJ Number: 57328
• Journal: Corrective and Social Psychiatry and Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy Volume: 25 Issue: 2 Dated: (1979) Pages: 64-69
• Author(s): L FRENCH
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: Martin Psychiatric Research Foundation, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

WAYS IN WHICH INMATES ADAPT TO THE PSYCHOSEXUAL STRESS OF PRISON LIFE ARE DISCUSSED IN AN ARTICLE DRAWING ON STUDIES OF SEX AND STRESS IN THE PRISON SYSTEMS OF THREE STATES.

Abstract

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AFFECTUAL SEX (THAT EXPRESSING EMOTION) AND IMPERSONAL SEX (THAT SERVING AS A RELEASE FOR SEXUAL TENSION) IS DISCUSSED. THE PROCESS OF PRISONIZATION, PARTICULARLY THE INTRODUCTION OF INMATES INTO A SEXUALLY PERVERSE ENVIRONMENT, IS DESCRIBED, AND THE SEX-STRESS ADAPTATIONS OF INMATES--ABSTINENCE, AUTOSEXUALITY, IMPERSONAL HOMOSEXUALITY, PSEUDOHETEROSEXUALITY, AND HOMOSEXUALITY--ARE DISCUSSED. THE ADEQUATELY SOCIALIZED INMATE SERVING A RELATIVELY SHORT TERM WHO HAS STRONG TIES TO HIS FAMILY AND COMMUNITY IS MOST LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO ABSTAIN FROM SEXUAL ACTIVITY IN PRISON. THE MOST COMMON FORM OF PSYCHOSEXUAL ADAPTATION AMONG INMATES IS AUTOSEXUALITY, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT LEAD TO FEELINGS OF GUILT. MOST HOMOSEXUAL LIAISONS IN PRISONS ARE ABNORMAL IN THE SENSE THAT THEY INVOLVE PSYCHOLOGICAL HETEROSEXUALS WHO FEEL TRAPPED INTO ENGAGING IN IMPERSONAL HOMOSEXUAL ACTS AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR PREFERRED HETEROSEXUAL TENSION-RELEASE. SOME OLDER INMATES SERVING LIFE SENTENCES ENGAGE IN PSEUDOHETEROSEXUALITY, ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN THEIR MASCULINE IMAGE BY USING SUSCEPTIBLE YOUNG INMATES AS FEMALE SUBSTITUTES. MEN WITH TRUE HOMOSEXUAL PREFERENCES HAVE VERY LITTLE CHANCE OF FINDING EACH OTHER IN THE PRISON ENVIRONMENT. WHEN THEY DO, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A NORMAL AFFECTUAL RELATIONSHIP IN THE INSTITUTION. FOR SOME INMATES, PSYCHOSEXUAL ADAPTATIONS AID IN THE ADJUSTMENT TO PRISON LIFE. FOR OTHERS, THE ADAPTATIONS MERELY CONTRIBUTE TO FEELINGS OF STRESS. BECAUSE MUCH OF THE SELF-DIRECTED AND OTHER-DIRECTED AGGRESSION ON PRISONS MAY BE THE RESULT OF PSYCHOSEXUAL STRESS, THE PROBLEM SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED.