NCJ Number
11143
Date Published
1972
Length
206 pages
Annotation
INVESTIGATION INTO INMATE ADAPTATION AND THE NATURE OF BOTH MALE AND FEMALE INMATE ORGANIZATIONS IN A FEDERAL NARCOTIC HOSPITAL.
Abstract
THE STUDY OF HUMAN BEINGS ADJUSTING TO SUBORDINATION AND DEPRIVATION OF THINGS NORMALLY TAKEN FOR GRANTED SEEMS TO BRING CRITICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR INTO SHARP RELIEF. THIS STUDY DIFFERS FROM PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS OF PRISON SOCIETY BECAUSE OF ITS SETTING - A FEDERAL NARCOTIC HOSPITAL HOUSING VOLUNTEER AND IMPRISONED ADDICTS OF BOTH SEXES. INTERVIEWS WITH INMATES AND STAFF AS WELL AS OBSERVATIONAL AND DOCUMENTARY MATERIALS ARE THE BASES OF THE AUTHOR'S ANALYSIS. DR. TITTLE EXAMINES THE NATURE OF INMATE ADAPTATION IN A PARTICULAR INSTITUTION, FOCUSING ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VARIOUS FORMS OF ALLIANCE AS THEY ARE MANIFESTED IN MALE-FEMALE DIFFERENCES. HE ASSESSES THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE OBSERVED ADAPTATIONS WERE AN OUTCOME OF INSTITUTIONAL PROCESSES AND EXPLAINS THE INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXTERNAL AND INSTITUTIONAL VARIABLES AS THEY AFFECT INMATE ADAPTATIONS. THE AUTHOR'S RESULTS INDICATE THAT A REINTERPRETATION OF PREVIOUS THEORIES OF INMATE SOCIAL STRUCTURES IS NEEDED. HE DISCOVERED THAT MEN AND WOMEN INCARCERATED IN THE SAME INSTITUTION TEND TO ORGANIZE THEMSELVES INFORMALLY IN MUCH THE SAME WAY AS WHEN SEPARATELY CONFINED. THE MEN TENDED TO ORGANIZE COLLECTIVELY, ORIENTED TO A MUTUALLY OBLIGATORY INMATE CODE. THE WOMEN ORGANIZED INTO PRIMARY GROUPS WHICH WERE REFLECTED IN CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. HOMOSEXUALITY, THOUGH STILL AN IMPORTANT FEATURE OF INMATE CULTURE, WAS LESS PREVALENT THAN AT CONVENTIONAL PRISONS. CONFLICT BETWEEN PRISON SOCIAL STRUCTURES AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS WAS NOT GREAT ENOUGH TO PREVENT INMATES FROM COOPERATING WITH THERAPY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)