Surviving Incarceration: Inside Canadian Prisons

Is prison a humane form of punishment and an effective means of rehabilitation? Are current prison policies, such as shifting resources away from rehabilitation toward housing more offenders, improving the safety and lives of incarcerated populations? Considering that many Canadians have served time, are currently incarcerated, or may one day be incarceratedaand will be released back into societyait is essential for the functioning and betterment of communities that we understand the realities that shape the prison experience for adult male offenders. Surviving Incarceration reveals the unnecessary and omnipresent violence in prisons, the heterogeneity of the prisoner population, and the realities that different prisoners navigate in order to survive. Ricciardelli draws on interviews with almost sixty former federal prisoners to show how their criminal convictions, masculinity, and sexuality determined their social status in prison and, in consequence, their potential for victimization. The book outlines the modern "inmate code"that governs prisoner behaviours, the formal controls put forth by the administration, the dynamics that shape sex-offender experiences of incarceration, and the personal growth experiences of many prisoners as they cope with incarceration.

Table of Contents for Surviving Incarceration: Inside Canadian Prisons by Rose Ricciardelli Introduction Narrative: Just a Kid: Forever Hurting Introduction to Federal Corrections in Canada The Focus: Setting the Stage Changing Legislation in Corrections What about Safety? Chapter One Narrative: A Life Without Freedom: The Multi-Prison, Multi-Sentence Experience Correctional Services of Canada Provincial versus Federal Corrections Methods: The Men Understanding the Classification System: Prisoner Classification Does Prisoner Classification Work? Understanding the Classification System: Institutional Classification How I Found the Guys? The Details Chapter Two Narrative: Addiction, Incest: Thirty-Two Years in Prison, Thirty-Six Years of Addiction Hierarchy: Crime, Sexuality, Masculinity, and Safety Factor 1. Being Solid: Criminal Convictions Factor 2. Being Solid: Masculinities The Oppressor Presenting Tough Acting Aggressive Breadwinning Factor 3. Being Solid: Prison Sex or Sexuality The Largely Homophobic Environment Consistently Subordinated Homosexuality? Being Solid: Heterosexuality Why Does the Hierarchy Exist? Chapter Three Narrative: A Violent Place Where Everybody Has a Story Violence and Theory: The Prison Atmosphere Theoretical Understandings The Current Canada Prison Experience: Understanding and Acknowledging the Violence The Atmosphere Maximum-Security Prisons: Controls Within the Institution High-Medium-Security Prison: Controls Within the Institution Low-Medium- and Minimum-Security Prisons: Controls Within the Institution Coercive Controls: Impacting Penal Violence Remunerative Controls: Impacting Penal Violence The Need: Balance Chapter Four Narrative: A Brother, a Son, a Lover, a Dad, a Man, a Prisoner with Heart Hard Memories Nowadays The Inmate Code The History of the Code Why a Code? What Is the Code? Never Rat on a Con and Don't Get Friendly with the Staff Be Dependable (Not Loyal) Follow Daily Behaviour Rules or Else! I Won't See You, Don't See Me, and Shut-up Already! Be Fearless or at Least Act Tough In the End Chapter Five Narrative: A Sex Offender's Story The Other Crimes Public Perceptions Stigma Theory and Framing The Sex Offender Stigma Stigma in Prison: Stigmatized by Other Prisoners The Stigma of Protective Custody Painful Consequences: Stigmatized by Other Prisoners Revelations, Intolerance, and Passing: The Quest to be Solid Distancing Sex Offenders Prisoners Exposing Prisoners Professionals and Paraprofessionals in Corrections The Role of the Media Resources: Lacking Supports The Systemic Sex Offender Stigma Final Thoughts Chapter Six Narrative: Change from Within (It Changed Me) The Personal Side: Coping, Changing, For Better or Worse Coping with Incarceration: Trust in Self Coping with Incarceration: When More is Needed Change Prison: Fostering Negativity Change from Within and Holding on to Yourself Resources and Programming Chapter Seven Narrative: Gang Affiliation, Clearly Not the Way of the Future Final Words What Can This Study Not Speak To? What We Do Know? Safe Streets and Prisons: Corrections at Work Industry Growth: For Better or Worse Notes References Index