INMATE CODE IN A HALFWAY HOUSE (FROM JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONS, 1978, BY NORMAN JOHNSTON AND LEONARD D SAVITZ - SEE NCJ-47922)

• NCJ Number: 47938
• Author(s): D L WIEDER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FRM LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL REALITY - APPROACHES TO SEMIOTICS, N 10, 1974

Annotation

AN EXAMINATION IS UNDERTAKEN OF THE CONVICT CODE OF A HALFWAY HOUSE LOCATED IN A MEXICAN-AMERICAN QUARTER OF EASTERN LOS ANGELES.

Abstract

THE CODE IS THE CLASSICAL OR TRADITIONAL EXPLANATION OF THOSE FORMS OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR ENGAGED IN BY INMATES, CONVICTS, OR RESIDENTS OF SUCH REHABILITATIVE ORGANIZATIONS, AND THIS EXAMINATION IS BASED ON DATA GARNERED DURING PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION. THE CODE IS CHARACTERIZED AS AN EXPLICITLY VERBALIZED MORAL ORDER, VIOLATIONS OF WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO EXPLICITLY VERBALIZED SANCTIONS. THE CODE WAS OFTEN SPOKEN OF BY RESIDENTS AS CONTAINING A SET OF MAXIMS. THESE ARE: (1) ABOVE ALL ELSE, DO NOT 'SNITCH'; (2) DO NOT 'COP OUT'; (3) DO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHER RESIDENTS; (4) SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE; (5) HELP OTHER PRESIDENTS; (6) DO NOT 'MESS' WITH OTHER RESIDENTS' INTERESTS; (7) DO NOT TRUST STAFF; AND (8) SHOW YOUR LOYALTY TO THE RESIDENTS. TREATING THE RULES OF THE CODE AS MAXIMS OF CONDUCT THAT RESIDENTS FOLLOW AND ENFORCE UPON ONE ANOTHER PROVIDES A TRADITIONAL SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION FOR THE REGULAR PATTERNS OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR THAT WERE OBSERVED IN THE HALFWAY HOUSE. FOR EXAMPLE, IF RESIDENTS COMPLY WITH THE MAXIM, 'SHOW YOUR LOYALTY TO THE RESIDENTS,' THEY WOULD BE MOTIVATED TO AVOID SPENDING TIME WITH THE STAFF, AVOID LIVELY CONVERSATION WITH THE STAFF, AND, BY THE USE OF SPANISH, WOULD EXCLUDE STAFF FROM THEIR CONVERSATIONS. THUS, PATTERNS OF VIOLATING RULES AND ROUTINES ARE PROTECTED, SUPPORTED, AND ENCOURAGED BY THE CODE, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT DIRECTLY PRESCRIBED. WHILE THERE IS NOTHING IN THE CODE WHICH SAYS 'BE LATE FOR CURFEW,' 'BRING WINE INTO THE HOUSE,' OR 'USE DRUGS,' ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES IS A RELATIVELY CLEAR SIGN OF ONE'S LOYALTIES. ALTHOUGH PATTERNS OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR ARE TRADITIONALLY EXPLAINED BY REFERENCE TO A SET OF RULES LIKE THE CONVICT CODE, EXPLANATIONS ARE OFTEN NOT THE FOCUS OF TRADITIONAL RESEARCH. IN MANY AREAS OF SOCIOLOGY, ONLY THE EARLIEST STUDIES FOCUS ON EXPLAINING OBSERVED PATTERNS IN TERMS OF RULES. LATER STUDIES EXPLORE SUCH MATTERS AS THE FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE RULES OR NORMATIVE CULTURE DETECTED IN EARLY STUDIES AND OTHER ELEMENTS OF ORGANIZATION. THEREFORE, IN THE RESEARCH ON PRISONS, MANY STUDIES REPORT VARIATIONS IN NORMATIVE BEHAVIOR WITHOUT INDICATING ANY PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR THAT INMATE COMPLIANCE TO SUCH CNTRANORMATIVE ORDERS WOULD PRODUCE. EARLY AND MORE RECENT RESEARCH EFFORTS ARE NOTED, AND STUDIES WHICH EMPLOY THE CODE TO ANALYZE AND ACCOUNT FOR INMATE BEHAVIOR ARE CITED AND DISCUSSED. (KBL)