“Good” and “bad” adaptation to prison isolation of Polish long-term prisoners in the light of Erving Goffman’s typology of adaptation

Abstract

The methods of adaptation to prison isolation of prisoners sentenced to short and long-term sentences differ significantly. The latter, after the stage of initial rebellion, often develop constructive coping strategies, while the former are able to persist in rebellion throughout their sentence, realizing its short duration. Based on his own field research regarding adaptation to prison isolation of Polish long-term prisoners, the author reflects upon which methods of adaptation (on the basis of Ervin Goffman’s typology) may be referred to as “good” and which as “bad” ones.