Prison Life, Not Black or White

Understanding Cultures, Subcultures and Customs

Carl Toers Bijns,Yahoo! Contributor Network

Mar 4, 2011

Working inside the southwest prisons of New Mexico and Arizona has exposed me to types of customs that are easily misunderstood, misused or abused thus leading me to bring to the conclusion that inferences gleaned through my twenty five years of working inside these chambers of violence and mayhem may have been twisted by factors only the human mind can process and understand but are sometimes not entirely applied into the entire scope of these diverse situations. In a setting such a prison there are various interpretations that can be mistaken for "how things are" to someone who is not engaged in the totality concept of the environment. In an attempt to express and perhaps present another explanation of my reality mindset inside a southwest prison background, there will no doubt be some controversy of these viewpoints or explanations as defined by life's experiences, political exposures and mentorship influences.

Cultures are not necessarily divided by custody levels but are often enhanced in the art of communication, manipulation and extortion as their reduced ability to move about freely impairs their connections to resources that give them abilities to produce or sustain a game regarding their desired quality of life. The prison system, giving them the basic needs to sustain life such a food, shelter, medication and other items provided by their constitutional rights maintained is the very basic level of every social and psychological foundation of the subculture that exists within that locale or setting. Hence forth, prisoners engage into customs and practices that shape their very existence within a social group or correctional community. Cultures often project an "us versus them" mentality as this applies to a broad spectrum of nemesis type relationships that exist inside the prison world. Thus, prison dynamics hinges on ethnicity, race, nationalities, and color and geographically as it is related to gang warfare and their desire to dominate others while incarcerated as gang membership is an entire culture to its own.

One cannot simply say that culture, no matter where it is identified or located, is merely a reflection of the way we live our life within the environment provided. It has simply much more context than that and extends from the surface upward, downward or inward as it needs to be further explained so that it makes more sense that just reading the words or moving the lips. Culture is the main means of connecting of how things are or perceived thus not always accurately portrayed but giving you enough of a glance of what occurs within the parameters exposed or covered or whether visible or invisible as prearranged by forces beyond egotistical, spiritual or politically inclined desires. Just like history has demonstrated that men have experienced diversity in life for many years before, cultures exist in many different forms and levels. Thus there is a desired need to separate these influences and try to make sense out of the message or viewpoint translated by the mind. It is likely when living or working inside a prison, one must deal with at least four other cultures or subcultures that impact their decision making, their conduct and their ability to adapt or overcome obstacles perceived to be placed there for a reason other than incarceration and retribution as the law so clearly states in the applied statutes.

Starting with the most basic of our human abilities to understand and communicate is our basic languages and how we express ourselves. Being cognizant of the various levels of cultures in existence lends to the ability to understand the completeness of language spoken. Most importantly, one must be prepared to analyze the specific societal influences. The language and its translation are divided into sub-classes that represent the different forces present inside the prisons. Regardless of what group of social outcasts you belong to, there is a code of conduct that has to be adhered to in order to be socially acceptable or understood. Just as the free world community has it laws, traditions and practices, so do prisons throughout the world. The social group systems spoken of are the different types of prisoners that have adapted to their respective role within the prison society and ethnicity. Stepping off the curb or trespassing into another caste level or culture spoken is forbidden unless done with the approval or sanctity of those in the position of power in relationship to the locale, population, classes and rank structures. Violations may result in ostracizing of one by others in power, beat downs, or killings. These acts of violence, rejection or non acceptance are normally loud and clear and often not misunderstood thus quickly resulting in a change of locale or class system. Once a prisoner understands their place within this informal caste system, they are normally safe to function in a most generously free manner with the exception of the routine payments of rent for taking up space that exists inside the joint. Therefore, the existence of the language and codes vocalized is very complicated and only understood by those directly affected or impacted by the actions or words spoken. One might say that unless you belonged to the specific social group, it would be difficult to understand their exact meanings, Sharing common ideologies or messages, many words may be pronounced the same but have different meanings within the different groups on hand. Language also includes hand signals, body language, slang, jargon, dialects, nicknames and many other substitute words that shift meanings as expressions apply according to the type of culture that exists.

Without a doubt, all cultures have the existence of their own arts of expression as well as a defined way of science to refine their individual expressions or those of the group they represent. Prison art is no doubt one of the most expressive means to illustrate their own personal views of life and its meanings. What may be perceived to be graffiti or mere scribbling of words, figures, shapes or numbers, may in fact be effective messages to many who understand its origin and its purpose. If one understands graffiti, then you are ahead of the learning curve as it has many similarities in both content and significance in communicating with others. Graffiti is a visual product of the prison culture and part of their dialect, and messages stemming from roots of the society they belong to while incarcerated. Each type of various graffiti plays an integral part in the understanding of culture and as it will become clear, the communal purpose shared by the individuals who create any of these types of graffiti structures the unity and cohesiveness that is a necessary feature of any culture. The social science of how human behavior works inside of a prison is an important element of how society functions. This format that appears scientific in nature develops, adapts, and provides prisoners and staff with learned behaviors that allows the coping skills to peak when survival or knowledge is required of both the prey and the predators inside the place. Therefore, the evolution of biological, sociological and psychological skills is an important element of the culture as it exists. It is often said that science and creativity rules the prison world as it allows the development of constructions of makeshift items never invented in the free world and likely not to be patented as it wouldn't meet many manufacturing safety specifications.

Different cultures have diverse social values and these values are transmitted through the constant creation of human expressions over time through the use of special words and physiological actions and reactions. These physiological and spiritual elements of the culture steers humans through levels of acceptance and rejections by the social groups' religious guidance systems. Take into considerations that inside prisons, there are those who are practicing Christianity, Muslim, Jewish, as well as atheists and devil worshippers. This common point in their principles and standards formulate a shared pursuit within the community of prisoners and is often demonstrated in various programs or activities with sacred overtones. Obviously, there are other social values that must be taken into consideration in the art of survival. Such examples are mandatory physical fitness workouts or "mandated recreation" that illustrates the group's dedication to physical fitness and stamina required to maintain a level of superiority over others as some are predators and others are prey.

Social acceptance of sex offenders, rapist, and crimes related to sexual molestation or abuse of children are not socially suitable in most general population settings. It is most common for these types of offenders to be housed in a segregated manner or in protective custody. Therein, their interaction as a group is very limited and as a result of this rejection or social stigma and intervention process, these prisoners are often collectively housed away from the other prisoners who do not fit the types of crimes already mentioned. Specifically, on these specialized yards, another type of culture developed that somehow exonerates them from their hideous crimes and allows them another type of social interaction required to establish another stabilized social network to exist or coexist within that particular element of the prison.

On the other hand, there are those prisoners who as mentally ill or verified learning disabilities that have experienced the reverse of those strong social stigmas while the community. Mentally ill prisoners are often more readily acceptable in the terms of social acceptance inside the prisons than is the free society. Although susceptible to extortion and manipulation, they often find a safe haven among others who are not mentally ill and are "schooled" rapidly to avoid sticking out from the others. Plainly speaking, they often pose no threat to others but over and over again, they do pose a threat to themselves. This adaptation can create enormous positive coping skills that hide their illnesses well and allows them to do time without the stigma of being '˜different" than the other prisoners. Unfortunately, these coping skills also allows them to elude the constant need for evaluations and assessments by trained mental health professionals hired on to treat them with required medication and programs to assist their way of living inside the prison population. Therefore, the issue of compliance of individual treatment and medication is often jeopardized due to social implications related to acceptance and the basic needs to possess those materialistic things inferred to be required to surviving as they copy the other prisoners in their behaviors. Additionally, mentally ill prisoners tend to barter their medication for store items and cigarettes as they are often indigent and not working.

The gang culture has been explained time after time and can be summarized as being predatory in nature. They claim territory which can translate into an entire yard of a prison, a pre-arranged section of that yard and in some cases, a minority thus functioning as a less influential body on the yard. There are times because of their lack of numbers on a particular yard; they pay rent to co-exist with other gangs. "They are usually self-supporting, have their own language and customs, and establish their own rules and codes of conduct. Their customs are passed to new members by rites of passage from generation to generation, thus ensuring the continuance of the gang. Gang members identify themselves as a people that are separate from the rest of society." (Etter, 1999, p. 261) Inside prisons, they carry on the same traditions and principles as they do out on the street with a bold emphasis on violence and control of the drugs and other items of value or power.

The social aspect of prison cultures include all these elements and more as you gain insight on the world as it is presented to you whether in full color or black and white. It represents the give and take of societies within the prison walls that translate into cultures, sub cultures and many misunderstandings. Settling with learning the protocols of the dark side of their penitentiary world, their own systems of standards and conduct codes, and their collective definition of the customs within, allows better understandings, communication, negotiations and convention of all who are housed in prisons and those who chose to work inside of these prisons.

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