Prisonization

Prisonization involves the formation of an informal inmate code and develops from both the individual characteristics of inmates and from institutional features of the prison. Its explanation involves indigenous influence theory and cultural drift theory. Gillespie's exploration of these theories is based on data from questionnaires given to over 1,000 prisoners in 30 prisons throughout Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio. Institutional data came from sources such as each state's Department of Correction and Rehabilitation. Results indicate that both the individual characteristics of inmates and institutional qualities affect prisonization and misconduct, but the institutional factors are weak predictors of behavior.