Social World and significant issues of Male Prisoners
The prison society consists entails confrontations between staff, administrators, and prisoners. Most relations within the prison society depends on rules and regulations implemented by the prisoners. Power relations revolve around gangs, drug dealers, and masculinity. Drug dealers hold a deal of power and they have the ability to sway others in relation to their dependency on substances. The second important factor that determines prison relations are consumer possessions (Crewe 23). Possessions can enable prisoners to confer a certain status among his peers. This brings in the issue the importance of masculinity in prison social life. Masculinity creates and determines friendship barriers (Western, and Becky 10). Failure to show an element of masculinity lays the foundation for stigmatization. Race relations play a critical part in influencing the social life of male prisoners. Other forms that social life manifests itself in form of resisting, adapting, or managing institutional power. The daily hassles and oppression in prison calls for the need of developing such strategies.
On the positive aspect, reformed male prisoners have identified other strategies for expanding their social lives. Majority of prisoners in this category have accepted the reasons that landed them in jail and are ready to move forward by improving their behaviors. As such, they enroll in several rehabilitation programs in prison and use this platform as a strategy for improving their social lives (Manger 540). Attending vocational training courses and participating in sports enables prisoners to find solace and live a healthy life in prison. There is no doubt that staying behind bars all the time is unfulfilling and exhausting. For this reason, participating in recreational activities such as sports and body building.
Social World and significant issues of female prisoners
While prison life is associated with difficulty, lack of freedom, and violence. However, qualitative studies have found that women prisoners tend to find easy access to social support while still in incarceration. Majority of female prisoners find it easy to form social relationships and lead a social life. Aspects that promote social life for female prisoners include intra and institutional support mechanisms for social life designed to keep female prisoners preoccupied and avoid becoming victims of any stress-related effects. Social support mechanisms include enrolling in rehabilitation programs such as vocational training, baking lessons, and other prisoner-designed programs.
The prison social environment plays a critical role in influencing healthy living among prisoners. The manner with which female prisoners will respond to prison life depends entirely on how the female officers can be able to integrate freely into the prison social structure. Learning coping, adjustment, and coping strategies is one of the most vital reasons that enables women to integrate faster into life in prison. Another strategy used by female prisoners to keep their social life alive entails keeping close contacts with family members within the society. However, this strategy depends entirely on the communication links with the outside world.
In isolated cases, female prisoners belong to particular gangs or groups that they use to wield power within the prison environment. Aligning oneself to a particular group is critical because it provides access to particular advantages within the prison environment. Power is also used as a means of striking relationships within the prison environment. However, power in most cases is not wielded within a group but it rather it is held by an individual. The most violent women prisoner tends to have power and others cannot mess with her. Instead, they will try to befriend them in order benefit from the relationships. In the end, social relationships are created. Finally, personal possessions and foodstuffs can be used as channels for developing relationships among women prisoners.
Similarities and differences
In both male and female prisons, power seems to be a key factor in determining social relationships. Other factors that influence social life of prisoners in both female and male prisoners include personal possessions, attending rehabilitation programs, aligning oneself to particular racial lines, communicating with the outside world, and recreational facilities. However, differences exist in the strategies female and male prisoners use to adjust to prison life. Women tend to adjust faster than men. Second, male prisoners find social life in gangs and drug use and this rate is less among women prisoners. Third, elements of masculinity are more profound among male prisoners than female prisoners. Finally, most women engage in vocational training and rehabilitation programs when compared to men.
Rehabilitation programs
Male and female prisoners tend to internalize their prison sentences differently. Therefore, they can only suit particular rehabilitation programs to achieve the intended objectives. Faith-based programs can achieve higher results among female prisoners because females tend to associate themselves with encouragement, motivation, and religion. Another rehabilitation program that can suit female prisoners are prison contemplative programs where prisoners are encouraged to enroll in practices or classes such as yoga, meditation, and professional classes (Western, and Becky 11). Women tend to identify strategies that can enable them improve and become better members.
Drug treatment rehabilitation programs are suitable for male prisoners because majority of male offenders are drug and alcohol abusers. Drugs are responsible for making offenders to commit property offenses and violent crimes. Treating drug related issues can enable the prison system to realize its objectives. Another important rehabilitation program is the Honor Program that awards prisoners for positive behavior and at the same time making prisoners accountable for their actions (Jacoby, and Brenda 485). This program is ideal for developing cooperation, respect, and safety. All these time, they can realize their rehabilitative goals.
Work Cited
Crewe, Ben. The Prisoner Society: Power, Adaptation, and Social Life in an English Prison. Oxford University Press. 2009. Print
Jacoby, Joseph B., and Brenda Kozie-peak. "The Benefits of Social Support for Mentally Ill Offenders: Prison-To-Community Transitions." Behavioral Sciences & the Law 15.4 (1997): 483-487
Manger, Terje, et al. "Prison Inmates' Educational Motives: Are They Pushed Or Pulled?" Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research 54.6 (2010): 535- 547
Western, Bruce, and Becky Pettit. "Incarceration & Social Inequality." Daedalus 139.3 (2010): 8-19.
