NCJ Number
55236
Date Published
1977
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE EVOLUTION AND EMPIRICAL ASPECTS OF THE GUARD-PRISONER RELATIONSHIP ARE OUTLINED ACCORDING TO THE ANALYSES OF M. FOUCAULT AND E. GOFFMAN.
Abstract
THREE POSSIBLE FORMS OF PENALTY ARE CORPORAL PUNISHMENT, LEGAL PUNISHMENT WHOSE UNPLEASANTNESS EXCEEDS THE PLEASURE BROUGHT BY THE CRIME, AND A METHOD OF CORRECTION. ACCORDING TO FOUCAULT'S THESIS, TOLERANCE OF CERTAIN ILLEGAL ACTS NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL IN THE LOWER CLASSES WAS MODIFIED WITH THE ADVENT OF CAPITALISM IN 1750, SO THAT GUARDING RATHER THAN PUNISHING OFFENDERS BECAME THE PREFERRED MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR AND PROTECTING THE ECONOMIC STRUCTURE. STRUCTURE. THE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLE OF THE GUARD-PRISONER RELATIONSHIP IS DEFINED BY FOUCAULT AS 'PANOPTICISM,' THAT IS, A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO SOCIAL ACTORS IN WHICH ONE HAS THE POWER TO IMPOSE A ROLE ON THE OTHER, ALTHOUGH NEITHER HAS THE POWER TO READJUST THEIR RELATIONSHIP; THE RELATIONSHIP NEVER BECOMES RECIPROCAL, BUT REMAINS VERTICAL BECAUSE OF THE AUTHORITIES ABOVE. IN AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS, GOFFMAN HAS DESCRIBED THE SAME RELATIONSHIP AS THE INDISSOLUBLE CONNECTION BETWEEN TWO POLES SEPARATED BY A CHASM. EACH SIDE FORMS A SEPARATE, MUTUALLY HOSTILE SOCIOCULTURAL WORLD. THE PRISONER-RECLUSES ON THE ONE HAND ARE DEPRIVED OF AUTONOMY BY GUARDS WHO DETERMINE THEIR EVERY MOVEMENT AND EVEN MOLD THEIR PERSONALITIES THROUGH PRIVATIONS. GUARDS, ON THE OTHER HAND, DISTRIBUTE PUNISHMENT AND FAVORS ACCORDING TO THE INSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIVES, AUTOMATICALLY INTERPRETING ALL CONDUCT ACCORDING TO THE INSTITUTIONAL CODE. ATTEMPTS AT BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE GROUPS IN ORDER TO HOLD THE INSTITUTION TOGETHER TAKE THE FORM OF RITUAL CEREMONIES WHICH PROMOTE INTERNAL COHESION WHILE EXPRESSING THE POWER OF THE INSTITUTION; E.G., TEAM SPORTS, PARTIES, AND REUNIONS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE SYSTEM MUST BE MODIFIED TO CHANGE THIS RELATIONSHIP OR BE MAINTAINED WITH ALL THE CONSEQUENCES. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)