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Kirstyn Mayer

Professor Jonathan Dunn

ENGL 102-008

15 December 2017

Jailhouse Rock

Since the Declaration of Independence was signed by the Founding Fathers in 1776,

America has been recognized worldwide for granting freedom to all of its citizens. “All citizens,”

however, does not include the 2,306,200 Americans caged by the United States prison system. In

other words, one in every three black male citizens are arrested in addition to one in seventeen

white males (DuVernay). The United States incarcerates more people per capita than any other

country in the world, imprisons more black men than were enslaved in 1850, and houses the

parents of nearly three million American children (Pacholke). Mass incarceration, paired with

extreme brutality, has corrupted the United States prison system. As a correctional facility,

prison authorities are responsible for helping the inmate recognize his or her wrongdoings and

transform them into becoming more productive members of society. Upon their release, the ex-

criminal is said to be fully reconditioned and is deemed no further threat to society. Recent

statistics disagree, as alarmingly high reoffender rates plague the population. The inhumane

prison conditions, caused by mass incarceration and continuous abuse, have negatively affected

the ability of the United States prison system to rehabilitate criminal offenders. Therefore, the

rehabilitative process within the prison setting must be reconsidered and improved.

1970’s America introduced the era of mass incarceration. Protests emerged on a

nationwide scale. In addition to protesting the Vietnam war, many marginalized people including

women, African Americans, Native Americans and homosexuals continued to fight for their
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equality. In attempt to control the uproar, police were instructed to arrest the individuals who

were inciting and encouraging these movements. While this significantly increased the prison

population, the most dominant factor that increased incarceration rates was the emergence of the

War on Drugs. The War on Drugs is a government initiative, introduced by President Richard

Nixon, that attempts to put an end to illegal drug use and distribution. In order to do so, severe

penalties were given to those caught using or selling illegal drugs including marijuana, opium

and crack cocaine. Since illegal drug use was most commonly found in hippie, Latino and

African American communities, many believe that Nixon issued this policy in order to

intentionally criminalize these minorities. The prison population rose from 357,292 at the

beginning of the 1970’s to 513,900 at the beginning of the 1980’s due to the increase in national

protests and the implementation of the War on Drugs (DuVernay). Local jails struggled to find

room for the influx of inmates, causing the prison conditions to become significantly more

inhumane. The food supply had to be rationed more strictly and living spaces were made even

smaller than before. Mass incarceration continues to be a problem in the United States today as

the prison population reached 2,306,200 in 2014 (DuVernay).

Although the United States government declares that correctional facilities recondition

and rehabilitate criminal offenders, correctional facilities actually punish, deprive and degrade

the inmates. Psychoanalyst and forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Theodore Dorpat, explains that jails are

merely “factories of crime” that neglect the basic emotional, psychological and spiritual needs of

the inmates. Over the course of the sentence, he elaborates, there are four major psychological

processes. Prisonization initiates the cycle as the individual begins to adapt to the culture around

them. This socialization process allows inmates to internalize a set of norms, values and customs

that they consider to be inmate culture. Criminal offenders begin to bond over their common
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enemies, prison authorities and society. Feelings of abandonment quickly turn to frustration,

which then turn into pure hatred for the society that locked them in the cell. Next, criminalization

occurs as prisoners interact and form a brotherhood. New members of the brotherhood are

trained by the older and more advanced inmates. They are quickly taught to manipulate and

scheme in order to make their sentence more tolerable. As Andy Dufresne confessed to Red in

The Shawshank Redemption, “You know, the funny thing is on the outside I was an honest man.

Straight as an arrow. I had to come to prison to be a crook.” Criminalization then leads to the

formation of a negative identity. The personality, values and mindset of the free individual they

once were are completely obliterated from their mind. Deprived of social hierarchy, they create a

negative identity that will help them interact with the gangs present in the prison setting. Finally,

the brotherhood as a whole takes on a negative group identity. Mark Mason, a former inmate,

reveals:

The prisoner is taught, by the guards, administration and other inmates, how a criminal

walks, talks, breathes, looks, and reacts. Prison strips a personal sense of self and

conditions one to act like a criminal in order to fit into a group. Consequently, as high as

80% of released convicts return to prison…Having been alienated from their true selves,

they can live nowhere else than in this hellish circle of the damned who have nothing left

but a collective negative identity. (Dorpat 92)

A prison sentence has a negative long-term influence on the individual as they are completely

reconditioned and calloused by the jail setting. Instead of rehabilitating criminal offenders,

prisons today neglect basic human needs and encourage inmates to form a negative identity that

will remain with them after the conclusion of their sentence.

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Inmates spend a significant amount of time worrying about being beaten and manipulated

by other inmates. Sexual, verbal and physical abuse are practiced on a day to day basis. In fact,

according to a report by the US Justice Department in 2007, nearly one in twenty prisoners

report being raped or sexually abused over the last twelve months. Of that, 2.1 percent of inmates

report being sexually abused by another inmate, whereas 2.9 percent reported staff sexual

misconduct (“US: Federal Statistics Show Widespread Prison Rape”). While it may be come as a

surprise to many, staff-on-inmate abuse is more common than inmate-on-inmate abuse. Staff-on-

inmate abuse is also more likely to go unreported in contrast to inmate-on-inmate abuse simply

because of the significant difference in power. The voice of the inmate is often discredited,

especially if it does not match the claim of the authority figure. That being said, prison guards

and other prison staff members can easily abuse and take advantage of the inmates, which further

corrupts the rehabilitative purpose of the prison system. Clinton Correctional Facility, notorious

for its barbaric disciplinary action since 1845, is the largest maximum-security prison in the state

of New York. “Little Siberia”, as it is referred to by the surrounding community, currently holds

3,000 male inmates aged sixteen and older (Guynup). On October 3, 2010, there was one less

inmate behind bars. Leonard Strickland, a forty-four-year-old schizophrenic, found himself in an

altercation with the prison guards. While the guards involved deny viciously beating Strickland,

video evidence suggests otherwise. The guards testify that they were explicitly acting in self-

defense, but the video shows a nearly unconscious inmate, handcuffed and weak. The guards

continue to holler, “Stop resisting!” as they drag the limp body across the floor face-down

“Watch: The Full Leonard Strickland Video”). Nurses and other authority figures are shown

standing near, yet they do nothing to assist the dying inmate. Covered head to toe in nasty cuts

and bruises with blood pouring out of his ears, Strickland was pronounced dead. Despite
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substantial evidence, not a single prison authority figure at Clinton Correctional Facility was

punished for murder. Powerless and vulnerable, the inmates have no choice but to endure the

constant torment.

As a direct result of the constant abuse and punishment, many prisoners find ways to

physically harm themselves in order to cope with the stress and frustration they feel. Research

continues to show that suicide is the leading cause of death among the incarcerated. Prison

authorities, ranging from guards to medical staff, deal with self-harm situations on a daily basis.

In a research experiment conducted by eleven medical professionals, it was determined that the

most significant variables that lead to self-harm include being sentenced to solitary confinement,

having a pre-existing mental illness and enduring a lengthy sentence. The most common ways

prisoners harm themselves include laceration, ligature, swallowing a foreign body, overdosing,

intense head banging, setting themselves or their cell on fire, or sometimes a mix of methods

(Kaba). While self-harm is a major issue, it is complicated to study as it is almost impossible to

determine the true motive behind the action. As previously mentioned, inmates are taught to find

ways to manipulate the situations they encounter in order to make their sentence more bearable.

Some inmates do not act out of psychosis, mania, or any other form of mental illness, rather they

act out in order to make a stand. An inmate is reported confessing, “If I didn’t like the particular

situation or thought there was something unjust, I used my body as a hostage” (Lohner).

Knowing that a prisoner is willing to severely harm themselves in order to prevent and avoid

being in certain situations demonstrates the absolute inhumane conditions they are forced to

endure. The commonality of self-harm in our prisons clearly depicts the horrible spot that a

significant number of inmates are in. Though this may be extremely disturbing, the ongoing

cycle of self-harm in confinement proves that inmates are not being rehabilitated. The fact that
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inmates feel the need to severely hurt themselves in order to make a statement that will get the

attention of authority figures is absolutely absurd. The First Amendment right in the United

States Constitution allows the freedom of speech, but speech does not count for much within the

prison setting. Guards are trained to speak only in informal and aggressive tones. They are also

advised not to communicate with inmates or compromise with them under any circumstance. No

matter how frustrated or upset a prisoner may feel about an unjust situation, they are ultimately

powerless and have nowhere to voice their opinions. The only way to grab the attention of an

authority figure is to physically harm themselves. Although these actions may temporarily

remove them from the setting, they are quickly returned to that setting with an even longer

sentence and possibly additional charges added to their name. Incidents of self-harm often go

unreported and the psychological state of the inmate continues to decline as the cycle of

punishment and self-injurious behavior remains unbroken.

In contrast to these terrifying facts, some states are beginning to initiate programs to help

inmates develop skills that will help them readjust to life upon their release. In Louisiana, for

example, young inmates can qualify to learn a trade. They are encouraged to choose from a

variety of trades including plumbing, welding, carpentry and more. Additionally, the inmates

take classes in anger management and communication. Washington state has become an active

participant in enacting prison success programs. Pioneer Human Services provides treatment for

substance abuse, job and interview training, and even helps some inmates to regain their driver’s

licenses and voting rights. Additionally, they help walk the inmate through the process of finding

housing upon release. One other state has actively taken initiative to help the incarcerated

develop skills. Through the University Prison Project, California inmates are offered college-

level education during their sentence. This project not only helps the prisoner, but helps to create
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a more stable jail community. When an inmate is busy focusing on their academics they are more

likely to avoid developing a negative prison identity. California takes their programs one step

further by helping ex-inmates at their most vulnerable state, their release date. Through the Ride

Home Program, ex-prisoners pick up the newly released criminal offender and help reintroduce

him to culture outside of the barbed wire fencing. Re-entry is a very difficult and overwhelming

task. Even after being freed from their sentence. The former inmate is still branded as wrong by

society and subject to lower earnings, denial of jobs and work licenses, inability to vote, and they

are ineligible to live in public housing. In talking to someone who was once in the same shoes,

the newly freed individual is more likely to be open to their advice. In addition to giving verbal

advice, the ex-prisoner takes the newly released prisoner to get their hair cut, buy food and

clothes, and reconnect with family and friends. It is very hard for the newly released to realize

that the world continued to spin without them. Trying to catch up on so many aspects of

everyday life is also very overwhelming. Though these programs positively impact the lives of

the prisoners, the most important asset in these programs is a supportive staff. Instead of the

heartless prison authorities described above, prison guards need to be less accusative and more

encouraging. Sheriff Mike Cazes of West Baton Rouge is the perfect example. He shares, “If I

can save one person and have them go back in society, sleep at home, and raise a family, we’ve

done our job” (Ferner). Transforming the toxic prison setting into a supportive and encouraging

community will not only have a positive influence on the mental state of the inmate, but it will

foster success when they are immersed back into society.

The American prison system needs to undergo a serious reformation in order to enhance

its ability to make a positive impact on the lives of criminal offenders. The primary focus of

today’s prisons is to confine, control, and punish criminal offenders. While punishment is said to
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subdue a dangerous inmate, it often does the exact opposite. Physical and verbal abuse, in

addition to solitary confinement sentences, only heighten the problem. Instead of focusing on

punishment, the prison system should change their motive to focus on rehabilitation.

Correctional facilities can foster future success by providing educationally enriching programs.

In order to do so, the different branches of the criminal justice system must come together to

address re-entry. Today, the separate branches of the criminal justice system are not in unison in

terms of re-entry policies. Lacking a formal policy, each state has the freedom to address the

situation in their own way. The American prison system needs to develop a policy that enforces

programs in each and every prison across the United States. By giving inmates access to these

programs, there will without a doubt be less criminalization and prisonization occurring. If

prisoners are spending their time studying, learning a trade, or making a plan for the future, they

will have less time to form their negative identity. Less negative individual identities means the

negative group identity will be substantially weaker. While it is understood that not every

individual behind bars will take the opportunity to better themselves, a dedicated staff and well-

developed programs will benefit the vast majority of those incarcerated. Ultimately, this solution

will benefit society as a whole because as the prison population declines, so do costs. Although

costs will initially increase in order to establish these programs, the money will be recycled back

into the economy. Once freed, ex-inmates will be significantly less likely to reoffend and will be

holding higher paying jobs. Therefore, by encouraging correctional facilities to initiate a success

program, the prison setting will change from a toxic environment to a healthy and thriving

community of driven individuals.

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Works Cited

Deitch, Michele and Mushlin, Michael. “What’s Going On in Our Prisons?”. The New York

Times, 4 January 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/04/opinion/whats-going-on-in-

our-prisons.html. Accessed 8 October 2017.

Dorpat, Theodore L. Crimes of Punishment: America’s Culture of Violence. Algora Publishing,

2007. EBSCOhost, login.pallas2.tcl.sc.edu/login?

url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=185612&site=ehost-live.

DuVernay, Ava. (2016). 13th. Retrieved from https://www.netflix.com/title/80091741.

Ferner, Matt. “These Programs Are Helping Prisoners Live Again On The Outside”. HuffPost. 9

September 2015. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/if-we-want-fewer-prisoners-we-

need-more-compassion-when-they-re-enter-society_us_55ad61a5e4b0caf721b39cd1.

Accessed 18 October 2017.

Guynup, Andrea. “Our History.” Village of Dannemora Community Center,

https://www.villageofdannemora.com/history. Accessed 31 October 2017.

Kaba, Fatos, et al. “Solitary Confinement and Risk of Self-Harm Among Jail Inmates.”

American Journal of Public Health, vol. 104, no. 3, 2014, pp. 442-447.

http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/ajph.2013.301742. Accessed 27

September 2017.

Lartey, Jamiles. “Quarter of inmates could have been spared prison without risk, study says”.

The Guardian, 11 December 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/us-

news/2016/dec/11/prison-inmates-us-public-safety-incarceration. Accessed 8 October

2017.
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Lohner, Johannes, and Norbert, Konrad. “Deliberate Self-Harm and Suicide Attempt in Custody:

Distinguishing Features in Male Inmates’ Self-Injurious Behavior.” International

Journal of Law and Psychiatry, vol. 29, issue 5, September-October 2006, pp. 370-385.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160252706000471?via=ihub. Accessed 27

September 2017.

Nazario, Ismeal. (2014, October). What I Learned as a Kid in Jail. Retrieved from

https://www.ted.com.

Pacholke, Dan. (2014, March). How prisons can help inmates live meaningful lives. Retrieved

from https://www.ted.com.

The Shawshank Redemption. Directed by Frank Darabont, performances by Tim Robbins,

Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, and Willaim Sadler, Castle Rock Entertainment, 1994.

“US: Federal Statistics Show Widespread Prison Rape”. Human Rights Watch, 15 December

2007, https://www.hrw.org/news/2007/12/15/us-federal-statistics-show-widespread-

prison-rape. Accessed 9 December 2017.

“Watch: The Full Leonard Strickland Video.” The New York Times, Uploaded by NYS DEPT. of

CORRECTIONS, 13 December 2015,

https://www.nytimes.com/video/nyregion/100000004085887/full-prison-video-inmate-

death-clinton-correctional-facility.html.