The Inmate Subculture in Jails

Abstract

There is a long line of prison research addressing the nature and correlates of the “inmate subculture”—the adherence of inmates to a set of norms that reflect opposition to institutional rules and staff. This article presents preliminary findings on variability in adherence to inmate norms among the populations of three local jails—environments that are characterized by shorter stays and more rapid inmate turnover than are prisons. The findings suggest that positive orientations toward inmate subcultural norms in jail settings are mostly attributable to experienced inmates who are already familiar with the norms when they enter the jail and who readapt to the norms after determining that they will not be gaining their freedom immediately.