Refuse to work in prison; an analysis from life-course perspective

• In Event: Labor, Learning, and Liberation: Programming, Education, and Work in Carceral Contexts

Abstract

In Japan, work has legally been an essential part of imprisonment. However, some prisoners continue to refuse work, which may negatively impact their future, as repeated violations can lead to the denial of early release. At the same time, these refusals pose significant challenges to prison authorities, especially given changes in prisoner demographics. The present study applies a life-course perspective to analyze inmates' infractions by examining the initiation, escalation, and decline of rule violations throughout their imprisonment. The findings suggest that inmates’ infractions follow distinct trajectories, with various factors influencing their membership in each trajectory. Due to a recent amendment to the Penal Law, work is no longer mandatory. However, it remains an important rehabilitative method within the Japanese prison system. Continued research is necessary not only to understand these infractions but also to assess prisoners' rehabilitation after release.

Author

• Hiroyuki Shinkai, Kanagawa University