Lecture 7: Experiencing imprisonment (adaptation)

Question 1

What does the initial quote suggest about prison adaptation?

Answer 1

It requires mental toughness

Question 2

What key facility do new prisoners go to first?

Answer 2

Reception

Question 3

What does the term ‘pains of imprisonment’ refer to?

Answer 3

Deprivations faced

Question 4

Which pain relates to lack of heterosexual contact?

Answer 4

Sexuality

Question 5

What change does the quote from 1958 highlight regarding pains of imprisonment?

Answer 5

The switch from physical to psychological pains

Question 6

What does the term ‘deep end custody’ refer to?

Answer 6

Oppressive maximum security conditions

Question 7

How can staff exert control without physical punishment according to the quote?

Answer 7

Removal of privileges

Question 8

What change has added ambiguity to staff-prisoner relationships?

Answer 8

Informal interactions

Question 9

What issues arise from risk-based parole and progression decisions?

Answer 9

They worsen uncertainty

Question 10

The ‘deprivation’ model sees prison culture responding to:

Answer 10

Inherent regime restrictions

Question 11

What stance does the importation model take on prison culture?

Answer 11

It continues positive behaviors from outside

Question 12

What role does the integration model see pre-prison behaviors playing?

Answer 12

Influencing adaptations

Question 13

What shapes whether prisoners ‘swim with or against the tide’?

Answer 13

Relationships and incentives

Question 14

Where does the inmate code concept originate?

Answer 14

Prisoner subculture

Question 14

What issue limits universality of the inmate code?

Answer 14

Differing backgrounds

Question 15

How does the IEP potentially undermine solidarity?

Answer 15

By dividing prisoners

Question 16

What does IEP stand for?

Answer 16

Incentives and Earned Privileges

Question 17

Where do sex offenders typically fall in prisoner hierarchies?

Answer 17

The bottom

Question 18

What exception highlights interdependency with officers?

Answer 18

Joint safety needs

Question 19

Why have drugs impacted prisoner solidarity?

Answer 19

They worsen violence

Question 20

What issue arises from employing certain prisoners in food service roles?

Answer 20

Security risks

Question 21

What does the inmate code say about ‘grassing’ others?

Answer 21

Exceptions can apply

Question 22

What dilemma surrounds developing prison friendships?

Answer 22

Appearing weak or dependent

Question 23

How are prison pains seen as having changed over time?

Answer 23

Less brutality but tighter control

Question 24

The integration model sees prison culture arising through:

Answer 24

Interplay of restrictions and external influences

Question 25

What shapes whether people 'sink or swim' in adapting to prison life?

Answer 25

Relationships formed and incentives

Question 26

What issue limits universality of the inmate code?

Answer 26

Differing personal backgrounds

Question 27

What change to staff-prisoner relationships adds ambiguity?

Answer 27

Informal interactions

Question 28

What typical hierarchy exists between prisoners?

Answer 28

Seriousness of offence

Question 29

What key tension exists in staff-prisoner relationships?

Answer 29

Communication risks distrust

Question 30

The quote on drug impacts highlights what change?

Answer 30

Violence levels increased

Question 31

What key dilemma affects developing prison friendships?

Answer 31

Appearing weak

Question 32

What approach helps prisoners swim with the tide?

Answer 32

Conforming decisions

Question 33

What issue exempts certain prisoners from hierarchies?

Answer 33

Protection needs

Question 34

What change undermines universality of the inmate code?

Answer 34

Divisive incentive policies

Question 34

Why can imprisonment without physical punishment still cause pain?

Answer 34

Psychological torment

Question 35

The initial quote suggests prison adaptation is:

Answer 35

Crucial for survival

Question 36

What key tension affects staff-prisoner relationships?

Answer 36

Communication risks distrust

Question 37

According to the quote, drug impacts worsened:

Answer 37

Violence levels

Question 38

What is the sociology of imprisonment?

Answer 38

Importance and difficulty of ethnographic and qualitative research with people living and working in prisons

Question 39

What are we adapting to (sykes 1958 ; crewe 2011)?

Answer 39

- Traditional pains of imprisonment - New burdens and frustrations for long term prisoners

Question 40

What are Sykes 5 pains of imprisonment?

Answer 40

1. Liberty 2. Material goods and services 3. Hetero-sexuality 4. Autonomy 5. Personal security

Question 41

What is pains of imprisonment (liberty)?

Answer 41

Social isolation and rejection

Question 42

What are pains of imprisonment (material goods, services)?

Answer 42

Lack of choice and access to preferred service providers

Question 43

What are pains of imprisonment (heterosex)? - quote

Answer 43

‘Figuratively castrated by his involuntary celibacy’

Question 44

What are pains of imprisonment (autonomy)? - quote

Answer 44

Reduced to the 'weak, helpless, dependent status of childhood'

Question 45

What are pains of imprisonment (personal security)?

Answer 45

- Enforced proximity with others - Lack of privacy

Question 46

What is deep end custody?

Answer 46

Oppressive PHYSICAL security PSYCHOLOGICAL weight ‘bearing down’

Question 47

Examples of deep end custody:

Answer 47

- Isolation from outside world - Distance from release - Subversive geraniums - Unchecked staff power

Question 48

Prison example of deep end custody:

Answer 48

HMP Whitemoor

Question 49

3 new pains of imprisonment:

Answer 49

- Depth-weight - Tightness

Question 50

What are 3 attributes of new pains of imprisonment (tightness)?

Answer 50

- Uncertainty - Indeterminacy - Soft power

Question 51

What does Cohen and Taylor say about time in prison?

Answer 51

Time as an open landscape rather than a set of pigeonholes

Question 52

We moved from omnipresent observation to…

Answer 52

Self-governance

Question 53

Examples of uncertainty, indeterminacy, soft power?

Answer 53

- Actuarial risk assessments - Decisions at a distance: impersonal, inflexible - Prison as hurdles, being set up to fail - Greater ambiguity of friendly staff

Question 54

4 models of adaptation:

Answer 54

- Indigenous - Importation/sub-cultural - Integration model - U curve of adaptation

Question 55

What is the indigenous (deprivation) model of adaptation?

Answer 55

- Culture determined by, and responds to, inherent pains and deprivations - ‘Role-stripping’ and ‘civil death’

Question 56

What is the importation (sub-cultural) models of adaptation?

Answer 56

- Culture maintains external behaviour and individual characteristics - Multiple fluid sub-cultures - Criminal (ethnic) gangs and ‘homecoming ceremonies’

Question 57

3 multiple fluid subcultures

Answer 57

- Thief: professional, loyal - Convict: individualistic - Legitimate: conformist

Question 58

What is the integration model of adaptation?

Answer 58

Culture reflects interdependent and interactive effects

Question 59

Examples of integration model of adaptation:

Answer 59

- Distorted and adapted version of prison social life and outside culture - Continuation of negative/positive pre-prison behaviours

Question 60

What is the u-curve of adaptation? tide quote

Answer 60

From 'kick off' to 'prisonisation' to thoughts of release - Swimming with rather against the tide

Question 61

What is the inmate code?

Answer 61

The rules and values that have developed among prisoners inside prisons' social systems - No grassing - No theft or exploitation from fellow 'cons' - Self-sufficiency - 'be a man', 'do you own time'

Question 62

Criticisms of inmate code:

Answer 62

- Governs social relations as 'an ideal rather than a description' - Hierarchy

Question 63

Who is at the top of the prison hierarchy?

Answer 63

- Gangsters and 'businessmen'

Question 64

Who is in the middle of the prison hierarchy?

Answer 64

- Lads - Foot soldiers - Fragglers - people with mental health issues

Question 65

Who is at the bottom of the prison hierarchy?

Answer 65

- Sex offender - Transgender people

Question 66

Criticisms of prison solidarity:

Answer 66

- Interdependency of staff and prisoners for safety​ - Influence of cross-posting​ - Distinctions between officers ​

Question 67

Criticism of no theft from or exploitation of fellow cons

Answer 67

- Drugs and 'double-bubble'

Question 68

Hyper-masculinity is situated as:

Answer 68

'Secondary proof of manhood'