NCJ Number
47943
Date Published
1978
Length
12 pages
Annotation
VARIOUS PERSONALITY TYPES CHARACTERISTICALLY IDENTIFIED BY THE BLACK PRISONERS AT EASTERN CORRECTION INSTITUTION ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
FIRST THERE ARE THE 'BROTHERS.' FOR SOME BLACK INMATES A BROTHER MUST BE A BLACK, BUT FOR MOST, ANY MEMBER OF A MINORITY GROUP WHO DISPLAYS AN AWARENESS OF WHITE OPPRESSION AND REBELLION AGAINST IT CAN BE A BROTHER. IN PRACTICE AT EASTERN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION (ECI) A BLACK INMATE BECOMES A BROTHER THROUGH HIS MEMBERSHIP IN THE AFRO-AMERICAN SOCIETY (FORMED BY THE PRISON REVOLUTIONARIES). HOWEVER, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BROTHERS NEED NOT BE A DEEPLY PERSONAL ONE. 'PARTNERS' ARE INMATES WHO ARE CLOSE WITH ONE ANOTHER, WHO SHARE COMMON INTERESTS, AND WHO CAN CONFIDE IN ONE ANOTHER; ANY ONE BLACK INMATE MAY HAVE SEVERAL. THEN THERE ARE THE REVOLUTIONARIES; FOR THE FEW AT ECI, THE SIGNIFICANT REFERENCE GROUP IS NOT THE PRISON'S POPULATION, BUT THE REVOLUTIONARY GROUPS BEYOND THE WALLS. THEIR ORIENTATION IS TO THE FUTURE, AND AS THEY SEE IT , IT IS THE HISTORIC AND OBLIGATORY DUTY OF BLACK PRISONERS TO UTILIZE THEIR TIME IN PREPARATION FOR THE EVENTUAL REVOLUTION. FOR WANT OF A BETTER TERM, A VAST MAJORITY OF THE BLACK INMATES ARE CHARACTERIZED AS 'HALF-STEPPERS.' THEIR PUBLIC BEHAVIOR MANIFESTS AN INTENSE COMMITMENT TO REVOLUTION, BUT UNLIKE TRUE REVOLUTIONARIES, THE ORIENTATION OF THE HALF-STEPPER IS TO THE PRESENT AND TO OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE PRISON. THE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE PRISON STYLE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY AND THE STYLE OF THE HALF-STEPPER MAKE FOR STRAIN WITHIN THE RANKS OF THE AFRO-AMERICAN SOCIETY, BUT DESPITE SHARP IDEOLOGICAL CONFLICTS THE ORGANIZATION DID NOT DISSOLVE. THESE CONFLICTS ARE GROUNDED IN TWO CONTRADICTORY IDEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES -- 'SOUL' AND BLACK NATIONALISM -EXISTING CONCURRENTLY AT THE FACILITY. WHILE BOTH 'SOUL' AND BLACK NATIONALISM PROVIDE FRAMEWORKS FOR BLACK SOLIDARITY, 'SOUL' CELEBRATES HISTORIC BLACK AMERICAN CULTURE AND AFFIRMS THE VALUES OF PERSEVERENCE AND ACCEPTANCE, WHILE BLACK NATIONALISM CHAMPIONS PAST AFRICAN GLORIES AND PRESENTS VISIONS OF FUTURE GREATNESS ACHIEVED THROUGH GLOBAL REVOLUTION. CONSEQUENTLY, THE REVOLUTIONARY LEADERS OF THE SOCIETY MAINTAINED RESTRICTIVE POLICIES REGARDING HOMOSEXUALITY AND DRUGS. THEY WERE REPLACED BY HALF-STEPPERS NEAR THE END OF THE STUDY PERIOD. TERMS SUCH AS STAND-UP GUY AND 'RAT,' USED BY WHITE INMATES AT ECI (SEE NCJ 47942) ARE USED BY BLACKS AS WELL. BUT AMONG THE BLACKS SUCH LABELS ARE SUBORDINATE TO THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN BROTHERS AND 'TOMS.' A TOM IS ANY BLACK INMATE WHO DISPLAYS ACCOMODATIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARD THE STAFF OR WHITE INMATES. THEY ARE NOT REPROVED BECAUSE THEY ARE VIOLATING AN INMATE CODE, BUT BECAUSE THEY REJECT THE IDEAL OF BLACK UNITY. (KBL)