NCJ Number
41853
Date Published
1977
Length
18 pages
Annotation
TRADITIONALLY, THE BREVITY OF AVERAGE JAIL CONFINEMENTS HAS BEEN SEEN AS PRECLUDING THE EMERGENCE OF AN INMATE SOCIAL SYSTEM AND A SET OF UNDERSTANDINGS BETWEEN THE JAILED AND THEIR JAILERS THAT CAN PERSIST OVER TIME.
Abstract
EXPLORATORY FIELD RESEARCH IN A MODERATE-SIZE MIDWESTERN COUNTY JAIL SUGGESTS THAT SUCH AN ASSUMPTION IS INCORRECT; BOTH JAIL INMATES AND JAILERS ARE ABLE TO DEVELOP CULTURES RESPONSIVE TO THEIR SITUATION WHICH MERGE INTO A SET OF TACIT AGREEMENTS UNIQUE TO EACH JAIL. SOCIAL CONTROL OF THE LONE JAILER WAS ACHIEVED BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOPHISTICATED, NON-FORMAL POOL OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE INMATES WHICH CAN BE USED IN ARRIVING AT JUDGMENTS ABOUT HOW TO TREAT SPECIFIC PERSONS IN PARTICULAR CONTEXTS, AND A SHARED GROUP OF NORMS GOVERNING CONDUCT THAT HAS DEVELOPED INTO A SERIES OF TACIT UNDERSTANDINGS AMONG INMATES AND BETWEEN INMATES AND JAILERS. OVER TIME, EACH JAIL TENDS TO DEVELOP A UNIQUE SET OF ACCOMMODATIONS BETWEEN JAILERS AND THE JAILED WHICH, IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, LARGELY MANAGES EVENTS WITHIN THE JAIL. THE INTERNAL WORKINGS OF THE JAIL ARE MOST CONCRETELY INTRUDED UPON BY ITS INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL INVOLVEMENTS, MAINLY THE ENTRY OF REPRESENTATIVES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES. THE OVERRIDING CONCERN IN THESE FORMAL AND INFORMAL ACTIVITIES IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH NEGOTIATED PLEAS OF GUILTY ARE OBTAINED, WITH THE JAIL PROVIDING LEVERAGE FOR THE PROSECUTORS AND PUTTING THE INMATE IN THE CENTER OF ONGOING MANEUVERINGS AND ADVICE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.