‘Allowed Deviations’: Co-Governance and Patron–Client Relationships in Chinese Prisons

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Abstract How is social order maintained in Chinese prisons? Drawing on 53 semi-structured interviews, this article investigates co-governance mechanisms in Chinese prisons by examining the role of patron–client relationships in prison management. Co-governance is manifested in three types of ‘allowed deviation’: the intensive involvement of elite inmates (squadron leaders) in daily prison management, the existence of an informal market where inmates exchange services for basic necessities, and the prevalence of inmate cliques. Taking advantage of patron–client relationships with prison officers, squadron leaders acquire extensive discretionary power, which leads to favouritism and inequality. This research provides a case study of non-Western prison order, enriching criminology literature on prison order and management.