Question

The process where inmates adopt the norms, values, and behaviours of the prison sub-culture to survive the stresses of life behind bars is termed as:

• A. Socialization
• B. Prison-enculturation
• C. Prisonization
• D. Jailization

Hint:

Associate the term 'Prisonization' with its originator, Donald Clemmer. This process is central to understanding the sociology of prisons and the challenges of rehabilitation, as deep prisonization can make it difficult for an ex-inmate to reintegrate into mainstream society.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Identifying the Core Concept:
The query seeks the sociological term defining how inmates adapt to a prison's unique social environment by internalizing its specific code and culture.
Step 2: Term Analysis:
Let's evaluate the options:

Socialization: This is a broad term encompassing the lifelong process of acquiring societal norms and customs; it is too general for this context.
Prison-enculturation and Jailization: These terms are not recognized within sociological or criminological research.
Prisonization: This is the precise term. Sociologist Donald Clemmer introduced this concept in his 1940 book, The Prison Community. It represents the assimilation process where an inmate adopts the folkways, mores, customs, and overall culture of the prison, including the informal "inmate code."

Step 3: Conclusion:
The process of an inmate's integration into the prison subculture is known as Prisonization.