NCJ Number
28622
Date Published
1974
Length
16 pages
Annotation
THE THESIS OF THIS ARTICLE IS THAT WITH THE COMPLETE DEPRIVATION OF WOMEN AND HETEROSEXUALITY, THE HOMOSEXUAL IN PRISON FILLS THE ROLE OF FEMALE REPLACEMENT IN AN INMATE SUBCULTURE THAT PARALLELS THAT OF OUTSIDE SOCIETY.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR MAINTAINS THAT THE HOMOSEXUAL MEETS THE SOCIAL NEED OF AN ALL MALE SOCIETY IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS. HE ASSUMES THE ROLE OF FEMALE, WIFE, MOTHER IN VARIOUS ORDERS AND STYLES. HE ACTS AS A CATALYST THROUGH WHICH THE IMAGE OF MATRIARCHAL SOCIETY IS TRANSFERRED (BY INSTITUTIONS). HIS DEVIANCY ACTS TO PRESERVE THE SOCIAL SANITY OF THE PRISON SUBSYSTEM, THUS ACTING AS A THERAPEUTIC. THE HOMOSEXUAL BY HIS ROLE DEFINES MALEFEMALE STATUS AND PRESERVES THE HIERARCHICAL ORDER (ROLESTATUS-CLASS). THE HOMOSEXUAL CREATES STABILITY IN PRISON BY ESTABLISHING PROPERTY LINES (MARRIAGE-CONTACT-HOME). THE HOMOSEXUAL PROVIDES A BASIS FOR HUMOR, AND THE HOMOSEXUAL ADOPTS AND PRESERVES LIFE STYLES OF NORMAL SOCIETY. IT IS ALSO POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT THE HOMOSEXUAL ACTS AS A KEY FIGURE IN THE CORRUPTION OF OFFICIALS, SETS DEVIANT NORMS AND SANCTIONS TO FILL THE VACUUM OF INMATE ANOMIE, AND DEFEATS THE REHABILITATION PROCESS BY ESTABLISHING STRONG SECURITY FEELINGS WITHIN PRISON WALLS. THE AUTHOR BASES HIS OBSERVATION ON ALMOST THREE YEARS' FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE IN THE MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON OF SAN QUENTIN. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)