Manliness myths: The high price of prison survival
Studies of adaptation among men confined in maximum security prisons have been primarily concerned with inmate roles and social organization. The psychological impact of incarceration upon the individual has been seen as stemming from relatively uniform deprivations, in turn, have been associated wi...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
1979
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In: |
American journal of criminal justice
Year: 1979, Volume: 4, Issue: 2, Pages: 1-15 |
Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
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Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
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Summary: | Studies of adaptation among men confined in maximum security prisons have been primarily concerned with inmate roles and social organization. The psychological impact of incarceration upon the individual has been seen as stemming from relatively uniform deprivations, in turn, have been associated with a set of prescriptions for survival embodied in convict norms of manliness, which feature a stance of calculated equanimity in the face of prison pressure. Such literature provides a picture of common problems and adaptations found in prison. Central to this conceptualization of prison adjustment is the premise that men who survive are tough, cold and unfeeling — in a word, “manly.” Nonsurvivors, by contrast, are soft, weak or otherwise “unmanly.” The relevance of manliness norms to prison culture, will be explored, in this paper. An effort will also be made to trace a connection between dysfunctional aspects of prison adjustment and resistance to correctional intervention and treatment. |
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ISSN: | 1936-1351 |
DOI: | 10.1007/BF02885776 |