This research, based upon an analysis of data obtained from separate studies of three institutions for male offenders, treats variations in the impact of confinement as problematic and develops a model which conceptualizes prisonization as an independent variable that is likely to have both short- and long-term consequences. Our findings reveal that prisonization encourages opposition to the prison, a short-term consequence of confinement. These attitudes are likely to effectively block institutional rehabilitative efforts and to increase problems of social control for the organization. This, in turn, may inhibit successful reintegration into society upon release. Despite the ability of the model to predict attitudes which arguably encourage antisocial behavior, longitudinal data are clearly necessary to adequately test any model which attempts to predict post release behavior.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Akers, R.L.
, Hayner, N.S., & Gruninger, W.Homosexual and drug behavior in prison: A test of the functional and importation models of the inmate system. Social Problems, 1974, 21, 410-422.
2.
Albert, G.P.Prisons as formal organizations: Compliance theory in action
. Sociology and Social Research, 1978, 63, 112-130.
3.
Berk, B.B.Organizational goals and inmate organization
. American Journal of Sociology, 1966, 71, 522-534.
4.
Clemmer, D.The prison community. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1940.
5.
Garabedian, P.G.Social role and processes of socialization in the prison community
. Social Problems, 1963, 11, 139-152.
6.
Garrity, D.L.The prison as a rehabilitation agency. In D. Cressey (Ed.), The prison: Studies in institutional organization and change. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1961.
7.
Glaser, D.The effectiveness of a prison and parole sYstem. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1964.
8.
Goffman, I.Asylums. New York: Anchor Books, 1961.
9.
Grusky, O.Organizational goals and the behavior of informal leaders
. American Journal of Sociology, 1959, 65, 59-67.
10.
Hirschi, T.Causes of delinquency. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1969.
11.
Hirschi, T.Causes and prevention of delinquency. In H.M. Johnson (Ed.), Social system and legal process. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1978.
12.
Hulin, C.L.
, & Maher, B.A.Changes in attitudes toward law concomitant with imprisonment. Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology and Police Science, 1959, 50, 245-248.
13.
Irgin, J.
, & Cressey, D.R.Thieves, convicts, and the inmate culture. Social Problems, 1962, 10, 142-155.
14.
Jensen, G. F.
, & Jones, D.Perspectives on inmate culture: A study of women in prison, Social Forces, 1976, 54, 590-603.
15.
Kassebaum, G.
, Ward, D.A., & Wilner, D.M.Prison treatment and parole survival. New York: John Wiley, 1971.
16.
Matza, D.Delinquency and drift. New York: John Wiley, 1964.
17.
Merton, R.K.Social theory and social structure. New York: The Free Press, 1957.
Mylonas, A.
, & Reckless, W.C.Prisoners' attitudes toward law and legal institutions. Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology and Police Science, 1963, 54, 479-484.
20.
Ohlin, L.E.Sociology and the field of corrections. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1956.
21.
Reckless, W. C.The development of a criminality level index. In W. C. Reckless and C.L. Newman (Eds.), Interdisciplinary problems in criminology: Papers of the American Society of Criminology, 1964. Columbus: Ohio State University, 1965.
22.
Schrag, C.Some foundations for a theory of corrections. In D.R. Cressey (Ed.), The prison: Studies in institutional organization and change. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1961.
23.
Shichor, D.
, & Empey, L.T.A typological analysis of correctional organizazations. Sociology and Social Research, 1974, 58, 318-333.
24.
Stratton, J.R.Differential identification and attitudes toward the law
. Social Forces, 1967, 46, 256-263.
25.
Street, D.
, Vinter, R., & Perrow, C.Organization for treatment:New York: The Free Press, 1966.
26.
Sykes, G.M.
, & Messinger, S.L.The inmate social system. In R. Cloward, et al., (Eds.), Theoretical studies in social organization of the prison. New York: Social Science Research Council, 1960.
27.
Thomas, C.W.Prisonization or resocialization?: A study of external factors associated with the impact of imprisonment
. Journal of Research in Crime and DelinquencY, 1973, 10, 13-21.
28.
Thomas, C.W.Theoretical perspectives on prisonization: A comparison of the importation and deprivation models
. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 1977, 68, 135-145.
29.
Thomas, C.W.
, & Foster, S.C.Prisonization in the inmate contraculture. Social Problems, 1972, 20, 229-239.
30.
Thomas, C.W.
, & Poole, E.D.The consequences of incompatible goal structures in correctional settings. International Journal of Criminology and Penology, 1975, 3, 27-42.
Tittle, C.R.Inmate organization: Sex differentiation and the influence of criminal subcultures
. American Sociological Review, 1969, 34, 492-505.
33.
Tittle, C.R.Prisons and rehabilitation: The inevitability of disfavor
. Social Problems, 1974, 21, 385-395.
34.
Tittle, C.R.
, & Tittle, D.P.Structural handicaps to therapeutic participation: A case study. Social Problems, 1965, 13, 75-82.
35.
Toro, J.C.
, Cedeno, C., & Reckless, W.C.A comparative study of Puerto Rican attitudes toward the legal system dealing with crime. Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology and Police Science, 1968, 59, 536-541.
36.
Wellford, C.Factors associated with adoption of the inmate code
. Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, 1967, 58, 197-203.
37.
Wheeler, S.Socialization in correctional communities
. American Sociological Review, 1961, 26, 697-712.
38.
Wilson, T.P.Patterns of management and adaptations to organizational roles: A study of prison inmates
. American Journal of Sociology, 1968, 74, 146-157.
39.
Zald, M.N.
, & Street, D.Custody and treatment in juvenile institutions. Crime and Delinquency, 1964, 10, 249-256.
40.
Zingraff, M.T.Prisonization as an inhibitor of effective resocialization
. Criminology, 1975, 13, 366-388.
