The Inmate World

The Inmate World

1. The Legal World

   • The Hands off Doctrine- A historical Policy of American courts not to intervene in prison management. Courts tended to follow the doctrine until the late 1960s. Based on 2 rationales. 1. Under separation of powers inherent in the US Constitution, the judicial branch of government should not interfere with the running of correctional facilities by the executive branch. 2. Judges should leave correctional administration to correctional experts.
     • https://law.jrank.org/pages/1761/Prisoners-Legal-Rights-hands-off-period.html
   • Prisoners' Rights- Constitutional guarantees of free speech, religious practice, due process, and other private and personal rights as well as constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishments made applicable to prison inmates by the federal courts.
     • https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/prisoners-rights/
   • Institutional Needs- Prison administration interest recognized by the courts as justifying some restrictions on the constitutional rights of prisoners. Courts have recognized 4 legitimate needs. 1. Maintenance of institutional order. 2. Maintenance of institutional security. 3. Safety of prison inmates and staff. 4. Rehabilitation of inmates.
     • https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/prisoners%27_rights#
   • Constitutional Rights- The personal and due process rights guaranteed to individuals by the US Constitution and its amendments, especially the first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights. Constitutional rights are the basis for most inmate rights.
     • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVtePB8Iu9E
   • Writ of Habeas Corpus- An order from a court to produce a prisoner in court so that the court can determine whether the prisoner is being legally detained. Habeas Corpus is Latin for "you have the body." A prisoner or someone acting for them files the petition asking the court to determine the lawfulness of the imprisonment.
     • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVM147PaPpY

2. Inmate Subculture- The habits, customs, mores, values, beliefs, or superstitions of the body of inmates incarcerated in correctional institutions;, also the inmate social world.

   • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX56dbSQRLQ

3. Prison code-A set of norms and values among prison inmates. It is generally antagonistic to the official administration and rehabilitation programs of the prison.

   • https://www.businessinsider.com/code-jail-secret-messages-2018-3

4. Prison Argot-The special language of the inmate subculture. Argot is a french word that means slang. It originated partly as a form of secret communication. Examples: "Ace Duce"-Best friend, "Tree Jumper"-Rapist

   • https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/how-prison-languages-flourish-behind-bars

5. Social Structure in Men's Prison- Inmate roles is the prison lifestyles;, also. forms of ongoing social accommodation to prison life Examples; The Real Man is someone who do their own time, do not complain and do not cause problems for other inmates. The Mean Dude is an inmate who is notorious for resorting quickly to physical power.

   • https://sites.coloradocollege.edu/hip/social-structures-inside/

6. Social Structure Of Woman's Prisons-Roles are based on 3 elements. 1. Individual woman's level of personal dependence and her status needs. 2. Individual needs arising from incarceration combined with the institutions inability to meet female inmate's emotional needs. 3. Needs related to the individual's needs. Example: The Cool Inmate is someone who have previous records, are in the know, streetwise and do not cause trouble with other inmates.

   • https://law.jrank.org/pages/1802/Prisons-Prisons-Women-Prison-subcultures.html