Prisoners’ practices, attitudes, beliefs, and values make up their own culture, or “prison subculture.” This subculture can exhibit all aspects of culture and is mainly recognized by its specific language, hierarchies of rank and power, and authority relationships among prisoners. The inmate code is a set of unwritten guidelines created by prisoners or inmates that govern interpersonal relationships and individual behavior. Simply put, their interactions with one another are governed by the norms and values they share. For incoming inmates to understand the social norms, values, interaction styles, and application of the rules, socialization is necessary. Prisonization is forcing a new prisoner to conform to and follow the norms of the prison subculture.
The term “prison subculture” refers to various elements that collectively make up “the jail world.” It typically results from how the prisoners manage their confinement and adjust to it. They must adapt to their circumstances because it is their new routine. There are three distinct subcultures in prisons. They are young people who have been “raised by the state,” thieves, and repeat offenders. Remember that there are still additional methods to help determine a prisoner’s orientation despite the existence of these three subcultures. Some prisoners fall into categories such as those serving time and those who want to keep a low profile. Complete their sentence, then go home.
Another type of orientation is gleaning, which is when offenders take part in and care for prison programs. This is a way for them to hide out, remain out of trouble, and prepare for release. Jailing is the title of the following prison orientation. This word refers to inmates who prefer to keep to themselves from the main population. Typically, they are those who have been sentenced to life in prison. They are suffering from both physical and mental health concerns and choose to isolate themselves. People who want to be secluded from the outside world and create a life within the prison are said to be jailing. Bell et al. (2022)
The inmate code is a unique collection of standards and principles that have grown over time in the penal system. It is a method of assisting the inmates in defining their individual identities. The inmate code of conduct stipulates that you must respect yourself, avoid interfering with other inmates’ rights, avoid taking advantage of them, avoid fighting with them, and have no faith in the guards or what they stand for. These rules are straightforward: keep to yourself while in jail and avoid interacting with the adversary; this means that when new inmates arrive at the prison, the correction officers are usually informed of this. Caudill et al. (2022)
This is the process of prisonization, which occurs when an inmate receives a briefing on the prison’s rules and then gradually starts to adjust to them and the environment. These regulations typically exist in jails for years and are still upheld today. When new inmates arrive, they tend to listen to what the so-called top dog says, mainly if that individual is serving a life sentence. We have the option to leave and return whenever we want, so participating in the prison subculture is not something we would do outside. Your new normal in prison is the same daily routine with no freedom. You, therefore, create these cultures to endure jail. Anaraki (2021).
The jail subculture is the polar contrast of our normal lives simply because we are free to leave and return whenever we want.. They must be taught what to do next throughout the day because they no longer have any freedom. Another crucial step in dealing with an inmate’s rehabilitation and, hopefully, helping them complete a good sentence is understanding how they behave and the reasons behind their actions
References
Anaraki, N. R. (2021). Prison Subculture. In Prison in Iran (pp. 55-128). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Bell, C., Kinzel, A., & Akakpo, Y. (2022). Continuity of the “code”: A review of the subcultures and informal social norms in prisons, streets, and schools. Sociology Compass, 16(8), e13010.
Caudill, J. W., Trulson, C. R., DeLisi, M., & Marquart, J. W. (2022). “It Ain’t Home Base No More:” Sentencing Reform and Dynamic County Jail Inmate Politics. The Prison Journal, 102(4), 417-438.
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