Inmate Identities and Social Networks

• In Event: Internalizing Problems, Attitudes, and the Development of Criminal Behavior

Abstract

Based on 29 interviews with inmates, this research delineates the interaction of inmates’ identities – the sense of who they are – and the people in their lives (social networks). Such a research has important behavioral implications. The major findings are: first, family relationships (ties) are crucial to the evolution of inmates’ identities and social networks. Weak, dysfunctional, and broken family ties often lead to an individual’s criminal career that brings about a sense of euphoria. However, incarceration together with successful legitimate career expeirences entail a negative connotation to the criminal identity as a result of a sense of loss, shame and guilt, often related with family. Family member identity often pushes individuals to end their criminal career. Second, inmates accept their label as “criminals” but they tend to identify themselves as a “disappointing” member to their family and other inmates as “bad” people as a result of hierarchical efforts among inmates, prison rules, and a mental comparison of inmates with close ties. For those attached to fellow criminals, “family” like relationship is often what keeps them inside gangs and criminal groups. Family member or partner identity seems to subsume the stigmatized criminal identity for these inmates.

Authors

• Cynthia Baiqing Zhang, Christopher Newport University

• Peter Raleigh, Colorado State University - Pueblo