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Inmate Social System (Subculture)

Inmate Social System (Subculture). Prisonization Inmate Code Argot Roles Find a “niche” within the system Inmate Economy Limit: Most research is on “big house” prisons Males, maximum security, north/midwestern… Women’s culture? Minimum Security? Southern Prisons?.

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Inmate Social System (Subculture)

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  1. Inmate Social System (Subculture) • Prisonization • Inmate Code • Argot Roles • Find a “niche” within the system • Inmate Economy • Limit: Most research is on “big house” prisons • Males, maximum security, north/midwestern… • Women’s culture? Minimum Security? Southern Prisons?

  2. John Irwin—Prisons In Turmoil • Prison culture from early 1900s to the early 1980s • Big House Era • Correctional Institution Era • Inmate code starts to crumble, as “thieves” not able to dominate • New subcultures emerge (splintering of social system) • “Modern” (dated now) • Black inmates become more numerous and more assertive (black power movement, black Muslims, etc.) • Influx of young “hoods” or “gangbangers” • Inmate culture further splintered • Gangs, some “old cons,” violence dominates other aspects of the old code

  3. Female Inmate Social System • Researchers have examined the “female” code • Violence not glorified • CO/Inmate interaction tolerated more • Race mixing more common/tolerated • Less emphasis on doing own time

  4. Explaining the Subculture • Deprivation Model • Sykes “pains of imprisonment” • Physical safety, heterosexual relations, autonomy, material goods, freedom • Deprivations more severe = less variation in social systems • Importation Model • Extension of culture on outside

  5. Gangs/STG’s • Emergence in 1950s, dominance since 1970s • Irwin = “state raised youth” or “gangbangers” • Do your own time  do gang time • OK to rip off independents • Organized around RACE and/or ETHNICITY • Trends/Issues • Prison  streets (Mexican Mafia) • Streets  prison (bloods, crips, etc) • Prevalence? • Why are gangs a problem/threat?

  6. Correctional Administration Overview Management Styles Governing Prisons Unit Management

  7. Prisons as Unique Institutions • They are a bureaucracy (see chart in book) • Rule bound (standards of conduct), hierarchical, standardized… • Assume rules are correct and follow them religiously • However, they are unique • Don’t get to select clients • Have little control over release of clients • Clients are there against their will • Clients do most of their work in the institution • Chaotic, sometimes volatile environment

  8. Given the constraints…how best to run a prison? • The Old Penology (PN/Auburn debates) • The Autocrat/Dictator model (1800s-1950s) • Joseph E. Ragen (Stateville prison in IL) • Substituted “his way” for the typical politics of the time • James B Jacobs, Stateville (1977) • Complete control over every detail—enforced by brutal physical punishment –during Irwin’s “big house” era • The Sociology Era (1950s-1980s) • No interest in “controlling” inmates • Interests = inmate subculture, guard attitudes and cultures… • ASSUME wardens can do little to control inmates without help from the inmate social system

  9. John DiIulio Governing Prisons (1987) • DiIulio = a rather conservative political scientist • “…officials responsible for prison policy have been the slave of some defunct sociologist.” • “Management” viewed as disruptive to inmate social system • Book summarized a comparative study of 3 states • Texas “control model” • California “consensual model” • Michigan “responsibility model”

  10. Governing Prisons II • How best to measure effective management, or a “good” prison? • Order • Amenity • Service • The “Confinement Model”  now used in much of the prison literature

  11. Governing Prisons III • Concludes that TX control model is superior • Homicide rate in TX system is 1/8 of CA system • Violence/disturbances rare in TX system • Programming better (less volatility) • Reasons to be skeptical • Context of his study (CA and MI in late 1970s, early 1980s) • The “Exceptional Manager” theory • The building tender system • CO Abuse/Violence

  12. Management/Leadership Styles • Authoritarian • Joseph Ragen • George Beto (idiosyncratic) • Laissez-faire • Democratic/Participatory

  13. Unit Management • Now the “rage” for running prisons • Architecture x Direct Supervision model • DECENTRALIZATION • Not one chain of command for the entire 1000 inmates • Manageable units (pods) • UPSIDES • Almost everything self-contained • Custody/treatment division is lessened (team) • New career ladders • Free up warden to do “big picture” things

  14. Summary • Pre-1980s = little could be done • Prisons as corrupting, inmate culture will override • 1990s and beyond • MANAGEMENT MATTERS • Debates • What sort of management works best? • How do we evaluate prison management?

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