NCJ Number
14410
Journal
New England Journal on Prison Law Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1974) Pages: 1-33
Date Published
1974
Length
33 pages
Annotation
DISCUSSES HOW VARYING CONCEPTS OF POLITICAL PRISONERHOOD AFFECT THE DYNAMICS AND FORM OF INTERACTION BETWEEN SUCH PRISONERS AND THE CORRECTIONS STAFF AND PROGRAM.
Abstract
SIX CONCEPTS OF POLITICAL PRISONERHOOD ARE DELINEATED. INVOLUNTARY POLITICAL PRISONERHOOD PASSIVELY RESISTED IS THE CHARACTERIZATION OF POLITICAL SUBVERSIVES LIKE COMMUNISTS WHO IN SOCIETY SEEK REVOLUTION BUT ARE GENERALLY PASSIVE WHEN SEPARATED FROM SOCIETY IN A PRISON ENVIRONMENT. VOLUNTARY POLITICAL PRISONERHOOD PASSIVELY RESISTED IS THE LABEL FOR THOSE SEEKING SOCIAL CHANGE AND CONSCIOUSLY CHOOSE CONFINEMENT AS A SYMBOL OF SOCIAL INJUSTICE. VOLUNTARY POLITICAL PRISONERHOOD ACTIVELY RESISTED INVOLVES CHOOSING PRISON AS AN AREA WHERE ONE CAN ACTIVELY CONTINUE REVOLUTIONARY ACTIVITY. INVOLUNTARY POLITICAL PRISONERHOOD ACTIVELY RESISTED IN VARYING DEGREES IS CONSIDERED THE PATTERN OF SUCH PERSONS AS HUEY NEWTON AND BOBBY SEALE WHO ACTIVELY RESISTED THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS AND THE BLACK MUSLIMS WHO RESIST ALL FORMS OF CONTROL BUT REJECT VIOLENCE AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH, BELIEF, AND ASSEMBLY BE PRESERVED EVEN IN PRISON SO THAT PRISON STAFF SEEKS TO FORM A STRUCTURE OF FREEDOM WITHIN A NONDISCRIMINATORY ORDER.