Jail Adaptation and Adherence to the Inmate Code

• In Event: The Inmate Code in Prisons and Jails

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to assess the role of deprivation and importation adaptation theories on adherence to the inmate code in a jail setting. The inmate code emphasizes shared values such as respectability, self-reliance, domination, violence, and distrust of institution. Prior literature that has assessed how inmates adjust to incarceration has encompassed the adaptation theories of deprivation or importation and has primarily resulted from prison research. Given the unprecedented rise in rates of incarceration in the last 4-5 decades and the accompanying increase in overcrowded facilities, there is a need to subsequently assess the tenets of adaptation theories, including their role in code loyalty among inmates. In this study, we analyze the results of a survey conducted in two jail facilities in one state. Results suggest that adherence to the inmate code in jails is impacted by the integration of both theories and supports the notion that correctional subculture emerges from both the shared experience of life behind bars as well as the characteristics of the incarcerated.

Authors

• Carrie L. Cook, Georgia College & State University

• Sara Doude, Georgia College & State University