Index

Academic scholars. See Investigators, academic

Administration, prison: functions, 8–9, 157–59; “git people” attitude toward, 66; relationship to “fests,” 68–69, 84, 108, 125, 126; relations with prisoners, xi, 113–56; work performed by prisoners, 60, 61, 62, 69, 91, 160. See also Staff, prison

Adult first offenders, 59–60, 120–26, 151

“Affairs,” involvement in as ploy, 90–91

Age factor, in type of confinement, 59, 121, 151

Aggression: among inmates, 51, 69, 72–73, 91. 93; by functionaries, 12, 113, 138, 140, 181–82 n.39

Agricultural farms, state, employment of prisoners, 62

Alcohol consumption. See Drunkenness; Vodka

“Ambassadors” (inmates with desired prison posts), 91–92; role in illegal production trade, 97

Amoral position, as investigation technique, 38

Anderson, Palmer, 177 n.2, 178 n.4

Animosity: due to overcrowding, 128; of prisoners during research interviews, 25–26

Apartheid, as method to halt the “hidden life,” 118–19

Argot. See Language, prisoner

Association for Aid to Prisoners and Their Families, 5

Authorities, political, role in penal activities, 3–4, 7

Beatings: among inmates, 89; by functionaries, 12, 68, 138, 140, 181–82 n.39. See also Fights, prison

Beds, shortages of, 127, 181 n.39

Behavior: code of among mutual lawbreakers, 18; contrary actions viewed as prison secret, 43–44; of prisoner during interviews, 23–25, 36

Betrayal, of a secret, 44–45

Blackmail: among inmates, 86; indirect methods among functionaries, 16–17; as practiced by “fags,” 99–100

Body searches, 93, 137

Braun, K., 174–75 n.8, 175 n.9

Bribery, among inmates, 86

Bullying: among “git people,” 82–83; of recidivists by “screws,” 136–37

Carpentry shop, 60

Cells, x; controlled group distribution in, 123; overcrowding, 127; searching of, 137; solitary confinement, 26; transfer requests, 145–46

Censorship office, state, role in publishing prison data, 6

Central Administration of Penal Institutions (Dept, of Justice), 8, 170 n.11, 171 n.1

Cicourel, A. V., 55

Cigarettes: as inmate currency, 84, 86, 94, 99, 146; norms concerning acceptance, 70, 75. 88

Civil servants, investigators viewed as, 37

Code, secret: prisoner’s language as, 49; use by “git people,” 65

“Code users,” 24, 76; attempts to destroy by authorities, 115–25; in C institutions, too, 149, 182 n.41; status among juvenile inmates, 174–75 n.8, 175 n.9, 177 n.2. See also “Git people”

Conditional release, possibility of as reward, 134, 149, 182 n.41

Confinement: as barrier for both insiders and outsiders, 3; conditions as topic for research, 6; as function of prison administration, 9; types of penal institutions, 59

Conformation, as investigation technique, 47

Contacts: by investigator, 40–42, 56–57; perceptions by persons under examination, 37; between prisons and outside world, 3; by “screws” with prisoners, 159–62

Contraband: appropriation by functionaries, 132; disposal of, 125; involvement in, 114

Cooperation, simulated: by inmates, 141, 143; to meet production quotas, 145

Correspondence, prisoners, 85, 102, 122, 144, 166

Corruption, mutual: of functionaries and inmates, 155, 161, 173 n.22; interactions among law-breakers, 17–19, 165, 173 n.28

Counselors: aggressions of, 125–26; perceived functions of, 158; shortage of, 128, 181–82 n.39

Countrymen, regional adherence within groups, 75, 92, 111

“Crazy” (unpredictable inmate), 129

“Crooked snout,” 94

“Crooks”: relations between inmates, 65–112; relations to “screws,” 113–56

“Curses”: degradation expressions as, 51; between “git people,” 82; norms of, 69, 72

Death: playing with by inmates, 129; suicide among inmates, 81, 131, 141

Debts, nonpayment among inmates, 82, 91

Degradation: of fellow inmates, 51, 69, 72–73, 91, 93; by functionaries of inmates, 113–56; through moral corruption, 17–19, 161, 165, 173 nn.22, 28

Deprivation model of behavior, 103–12

Deputy wardens, 10–11

Diarrhea, induced as punishment, 136–37

Dilthey, Wilhelm, 55

Disbelief, as investigation technique, 46–47

Discipline: of functionaries, 15–19; of prisoners, xi, 9. See also Beatings; Solitary confinement

Dishes, touching by “victims,” 80–81. See also Eating norms

Disinformation, purposeful, given by prisoners, 23, 126

Distribution of scarce goods, as behavior model, 105

Distrust, functionary, during research visits, 22, 26–27

Drunkenness, joint, as investigation technique, 46, 47

Duties: distribution of among inmates, 105; negligence by functionaries, 12–13, 147

Eating norms, 69, 73, 74, 80–81, 100

Economic department, functions of, 9, 157

Economic organization, of a prison’s social structure, 9, 166–68

Elite, prisoner: roles of, 71–72. See also Leaders, prisoner

Employment, prisoner, ix, xi, 9, 60, 61, 62; “ambassadors,” 91–92; in C institutions, 62, 101–103; job assignments, 84, 149. See also Exploitation

Evaluation, prison, statistical dangers in, 13–14

Executive Penal Code, on types of penal institutions, 58–59

Executors, in inmate groups, 72

Exploitation: among inmates, 100, 105, 166; in B institutions, 130, 131–35, 160, 166; in C institutions, 149–50, 167, 182–83 n.42; of goods and duties, 105–108

Expulsions, from a “fest” group, 83–84

Extortion: among inmates, 82, 86; of inmates by functionaries, 132

“Fags,” 127; among C institution inmates, 100; among recidivists, 88–89, 99–100; as inmate grouping, 73, 81, 83

“Faience” (illegally produced article), 97–98, 132, 135, 147, 178 n.8

Family meetings: availability for outside prisoners, 102; furloughs for, xi

Fear, shown by investigators, 33–34 “Fests,” 68–72; relations within the group, 83–84; relations with others, 75–81; relations with the administration, 68–69, 84, 108, 125, 126, 154; view of the “screws,” 126–27

Fights, prison, 11, 81, 128

First offenders, adult, 59–60, 120–26, 151

Food: improvements in quality, 181–82 n.39; as inmate currency, 84, 85

Foucault, Michel, 169 n.6

Functionaries: duties in prison system, 10–11, 172 n.14; language of, 52; relations between, 13–17, 157–63; relations with inmates, xi, 42, 113–56; as “reptiles,” 25, 50, 143, 146–47; role in prison secrets, 4, 169 n.3; views of inmates, 25–26, 126–27. See also“Screws”; Staff, prison

Furloughs, under reform program, xi

Gajdus, Danuta, x

Garrulity, of interviewed prisoners, 31, 45, 47–48, 175 nn.9, 11

“Git people,” 67–68; among recidivists, 87–88; and prison authorities, 115–25, 154; relations within the group, 81–83; relations with other prisoners, 35, 33, 75–81

Goffman, E., 12

Goods, access to, and modes of behavior, 103–112, 152, 167

“Grubbing” (eating term), 50, 76

Guards, prison. See Functionaries; “Screws”

Hand shaking, norms of, 23, 44, 33, 69, 74, 88, 104, 159

Harassment: among inmates, 81, 116, 145–46; by functionaries, 113–56

Hierarchy; among “git people,” 68; formal facade of, 20–21; of prison staff, 8–12; secret interactions among, 17–19

Homosexuality, 65, 69, 73, 88, 89, 143— 44. See also “Fags”

Hostility, causes of, 113

Houses, illegal construction by prisoner labor, 149, 182–83 n.42

Humboldt, Wilhelm von, 49

“Hunchback” (prisoner), 117

Idleness, of prisoners, ix, xi, 95

Ignorance: as conspiracy technique of functionaries, 12–13, 173 n.25; as investigation technique, 38

Illusion sanction, as investigation technique, 45–46

Importation model, of prisoner behavior, 103–12, 114

Income, illegal: in A institutions, 84–86, 110; in B institutions, 96–100, 110, 160; in C institutions, 101–103; of functionaries, 160–61; through trading, 84–86, 93–99, 166. See also “Faience”; Production, illegal

Information; closed circuit in prison systems, 27–30, 38; control by prison authorities, 4, 169 n.3; on other prisons among inmates, 30–31; use by functionaries, 16–17

Informers, 22, 90; in A institutions, 123; in B institutions, 133–34; in C institutions, 148, 162; “fests” as, 126; role in prison system, 11–12, 15–16

Inmates. See Prisoners

Institute of Research into Court Law (Dept, of Justice), 170 n. 12

Institution A, 59–61; hidden social norms of, 67–86; relations among functionaries, 157; relations of inmates and functionaries, 114–29, 150–54; social groups in, 66–86

Institution B, 61; relations between staff and recidivists, 130–47, 154–55; “screws’ “ contacts with inmates, 160; social groups in, 86–102

Institution C (semi-open institutions), 59, 61–62; social groups in, 100–103; staff/ prisoner coexistence, 148–50, 155–56, 162, 167

Interactions, secret, between law-breakers, 17–19, 165, 173 nn.22, 28

Interviews, investigator: prisoner control tactics of staff, 22–23, 174 n.2

Investigators, academic: contacts with the prison system, 5–7, 170nn.11, 12, 13; dissimilarity of worlds, 32–34; interview problems of, 22–34; and prison’s social solidarity, 19, 20; role viewed as “unclean,” 40–41; techniques of, 38–39, 45–49, 175 n.10; view of as civil servants, 37; women as in male prisons, 32–34

I, use of passive by inmates, 129, 137–38

Jinks (prison counselor), 125–26

Job assignments, 84, 149

Juvenile offenders, 59–61; confinement with adult first offenders, 59–60, 120–26; hidden social norms for, 67–86; information on, 174–75 n.8. See also“Fags”; “Fests”; “Git people”; “Swiss, the”

Kaymes, 51

Keys, significance of possession, 70, 78, 108

Knowledge: avoidance of negative, 13–15; of internal affairs among inmates, 35; of other prisons among inmates, 30–31; use of erroneous as investigation technique, 46

Language, prisoner, 49; differences between “fests” and “git people,” 76; slang terms, 25, 50–51, 76, 143, 146–47; use and values of code words, 49–52, 177 n.2; use by interviewers, 32

Law-breakers: mutual corruption of, 161, 173 n.22; secret interactions between, 17–19, 165, 173 n.28

Leaders, prisoner: among recidivists, 87, 138; within inmate groups, 70–72; staff selection attempts, 123–24; support role of prison staff, 113

Levine, Robert A., 174 n.3

Linguistic signs, pragmatism of, 51

Los, Maria, 177 nn.2, 3, 178 n.4

Mail, prisoner, 85, 102, 122, 144, 166

Materials, raw: sale by outside prisoners, 102, 111; theft by functionaries, 160

Medical treatment, xii, 181 n.39; of beaten prisoners, 9, 140–41; for self-inflicted injuries, 109, 181 n.39

Merton, Robert, 5, 171 n.17

Metal shops: in B institutions, 61; use for illegal production, 96

Mirror behavior, as investigation technique, 38, 39

Misdemeanors: of functionaries, 12, 14; of inmates, 11, 149. See also Exploitation

Money: extortion by functionaries, 132, 146; extortion by inmates, 82, 86; methods of getting from the outside, 98–99; sharing among the group, 85; use to buy group acceptance, 88, 100

“Mucking” (derisive act), 72, 77, 80, 86, 104

Mutual capture, of erring staff members, 15–17

Naive stand, as investigation technique, 38–39

Narrations, unstructured, of prisoners, 31, 45, 47–48, 175 nn.9, 11

Negative knowledge, avoidance of, 13–15

Neutral group, “the Swiss” as, 73, 79

“Night visits,” by functionaries, 140, 146

“Non-code users,” among institution C inmates, 100, 101, 117

Non-people (“slaves”), status among juvenile inmates, 174–75 n.8, 177 n.3

Non-working inmates, ix, xi, 95

Norms: among prisoners, 67–86, 88, 100, 125; and prison secrets, 43–44. See also Hand shaking; Homosexuality

Note-taking techniques, 54, 55

Novices (newcomers), admission to groups, 77–79, 81, 109, 110

Ombudsman’s office, x

Open penal institution, 59

Opportunists (cooperative inmates), 141

Overcrowding, effects of, 127–28

Paramilitary character: of prison staff, 8, 9; use of formations, 128

Paranoia, prison, and secret realities, 821,40

Past: recidivists as source of knowledge, 31; secrets of, 43

Penal institutions, types of, 59–62 “People.” See “Git people”

Physical force, use by functionaries, 12, 125–26, 138, 140, 181–82 n.39

Piggybank investigation technique, 39

Polish Penitentiary Association, 5

Population, prison, x

Power structure: of administration, 8–11; within inmate groups, 70–72; outside political authority, 3–4, 7; second authority within prison, 114–15, 152–53, 154, 179 n.7. See also Leaders, prisoner

Prisoners: attitudes toward functionaries, 141–43; contacts with “screws,” 159–62; opinions of as topic for research, 6; privileged group contacts, 40; relations among, 65–112; relations with staff, 42, 113–56; staff selection tactics for interviews, 22–23; views on treatment, 26. See also “Code users”; “Fags”; “Fests”; “Git People”; “Non-code users”; “Suckers”; “Victims”

Production, illegal, ix, 167; among recidivists, 93–99, 166; in juvenile institutions, 84–86. See also Exploitation; “Faience”; Income, illegal

Production quota manipulation: by “git people,” 80; by staff, 145

Protests, 113; 1982 prisoner demands, 181–82 n.39; self-inflicted injuries as, xi, 128–29, 138, 145; strikes as, xi, 82, 117, 124–25, 129, 138

Provocation, indirect, as investigation technique, 46, 175 n.10

Punishment

—of functionaries, 11–12, 15–16, 173 n.22

—of prisoners, 11, 30; beatings, 12, 138— 40, 181–82 n.39; solitary confinement, 26, 140–46

Pupil position, as investigation technique, 38

Questionnaires, views on, 27–30

Rape, homosexual, 73, 89; accusation of as blackmail ploy, 100

Reality, secret, in prison modes, 38–39, 39–49

Reality, social, in prison modes, 31, 35, 52–54, 164–68

Recidivists, 160; knowledge of other penal institutions, 30–31; penal institutions for, 59, 61; relations with prison staff, 130–47, 154–55; self-mutilation by, xi-xii; social grouping among, 86–102

Reciprocity, between law-breakers, 17–19, 173 n.28

Records and housing, department of, functions of, 157

“Red spiders” (party members), 25, 50, 143

Regional Administration of Penal Institutions, 8

Regions, Poland, slang for inmates from, 50, 92

Relationships, prison: of administration to “fests,” 68–69, 84, 108, 125, 126, 254; between “fests,” 83–84; between functionaries, 13–17, 157–63; of functionaries to inmates, xi, 42, 113–56; of “git people” to other prisoners, 35, 53, 7581; between inmates, 65–112; of inmates to staff, 42, 44, 113–56

“Reptiles” (functionaries), 25, 50, 143, 146–47

Research, prison: suspicions of functionaries, 22; suspicions of inmates, 26–27; techniques used, 38–39, 45–49, 175 n. 10

Resocialization, 5, 9, 66, 169 n.6; disorganization of by inmates, 114–15; in juvenile institutions, 59–60; playing model inmate role, 143; of recidivists, 131

Reticence, as investigation technique, 47, 48— 49

Riots: causes of, 113; organized by “git people,” 82

Rumors, as grudge-settling method, 90

Rzeplinska, Irena, xii

Rzeplinski, Andrzej, ix

Schedules, prison, 127–28, 164

Schools, prison, 9, 60, 62; pressure on students by other inmates, 116–17, 123

“Screws”: interrelations among, 157–63; relations to “crooks,” 113–56; role in recidivists’ illegal trade, 93–99; view of prison staff as, 67–68. See also“Faience”; Functionaries; Income, illegal

Second authority, within prisons, 114–15, 152–53. 154. 179 n.7

Secrets, 43,44; among law-breakers, 17–19, 165, 173 n.28; betrayal of, 44–45; interactions among hierarchy, 17–19; norms as, 43–44; prison functionaries’ role, 4, 169 n.3; in prison modes, 38–39, 39–49

Security, department of, 3, 9, 157–59, 183 n.2

Self-inflicted injuries, xi-xii; as a means of protest, 128–29, 138, 145; as result of harassment, 81, 116; treatment of, 109, 181 n.39

Self-interest, as “fest” characteristic, 84

Self-responsibility, inmates deprived of, 129

Semi-open institutions (institution C), 59, 61–62; social groups in, 100–103; staff/ prisoner coexistence, 148–50, 155–56, 162, 167

Services, performed by inmates, 85, 86, 131–32, 134–35

Sexual behavior: homosexuality among inmates, 65, 69, 73, 88, 89, 143–44; opportunities for outside prisoners, 102; rumored activities of women prisoners, 24–25. See also “Fags”

Simmel, Georg, 44

Slang terms, of prisoners, 25, 50–51, 76, 107–108, 143, 146–47

“Slaves” (non-people), status among juvenile prisoners, 174–75 n.8, 177 n.3

Soccer pools, among inmates, 99

Social acceptance, outside, of “screws,” 183–84 n.3

Social function, of prison administration, 9

Social reality, in prison modes, 31, 35, 52–54, 164–68

Solidarity: among “fests,” 69; among “git people,” 68; among mutual lawbreakers, 19, 165

Solitary confinement, 9, 26, 82; “night visits” by functionaries, 140, 146

Spatial behavior, 42

Squealers. See Informers

Staff, prison, 183 nn2, 3; control by political authorities, 4, 7; as enemy of “git people,” 67; illegal use of outside prisoners, 102, 149, 182–83 n.42; relations with prisoners, xi, 113–36; relations with recidivists, 130–47. See also Administration; Functionaries; “Screws”

Stage management, in prison investigative visits, 21, 22–23

Straps, triple, as form of punishment, 139–40, 181–82 n.39

Stratification, social, of prisoners, 31, 65–112

Strikes, as a means of prisoner protest, xi, 82, 117, 124–25, 129, 138

Strzepek, K., 182 n.41

Submission behavior: among opportunists, 141; exaction by “screws,” 137–38; as “fest” tactic, 68–69, 84, 126; as investigation technique, 39. See also“Swiss, the”

“Suckers”: attempts to separate from “git people,” 118–19; forcing “git people” to become, 115–17; relationship to “git people,” 35; role among recidivists, 8789; as viewed by “git people,” 65–67

Suicide: encouragement by functionaries, 141; of recidivists, 131; as result of harassment by fellow inmates, 81

Survey worker, as assumed role for prison investigator, 36

Survival tactics: as “fest” norm, 68–69; “Swiss” neutrality as, 73, 79, 81, 83, 125; use by opportunists, 141

Suspicion of research: by functionaries, 22; by prisoners, 25, 26–27

Sutherland, E. H., 173 n.28

“Swiss, the,” as neutral inmate grouping, 73, 79, 81, 83, 125

Szczepanek (prisoner), as “victim,” 80

Tabula rasa, as investigation technique, 38

Tattoos, inmates’, 70, 76, 123

Tea: availability of, xi, 82, 94, 146; as inmate currency, 81, 84, 86; symbolism of drinking with others, 74, 75, 92, 111

Theft, 17–18; among inmates, 84, 86, 107; encouragement by functionaries, 132–33; by functionaries, 132, 160; by inmates, 99. See also Income, illegal

Toilet bowl, norms concerning, 69–70, 72, 81, 125

Trade, illegal: in B institutions, 93–99, 166; in juvenile institutions, 84–86. See also Exploitation; “Faience”; Income, illegal

“Trampling,” as staff repression method, 130, 136–41

Transfers: cell requests, 145–46; between prisons, 30–31

“Transmission” hypothesis, of “hidden life,” 151–53

Treatment, better, tricks to obtain, 143–44

Trouble-making, as viewed by different groups, 68–69

Trust, mutual, among functionaries, 16–17

United States: penal institutions compared with Polish, 66, 178 n.4

Utensils, eating: touching by “victims,” 80–81. See also Eating norms

Verification, as investigative approach, 36, 174 n.3

Vernacular. See Language, prisoner

“Victims”: social status in prison, 53, 72–73, 74–75; treatment of, 79–80

Visits, investigative, stage management by officials, 21, 22–23

Vocational schools, in prison system, 9, 60, 61, 62

Vodka: availability to inmates, xi, 94, 102; on-duty drinking by functionaries, 161, 173 n.22

“Wafflerooms” (cells of close friends), 75. 83

Warden, role of, 10–11, 14

Women: as investigators in male prisons, 23, 32–34; outside prisoners’ contact with, 102; rumored sexual behavior of as prisoners, 24–25; as viewed by “git people,” 67

Work. See Employment, prisoner

World: of interviewers and prisoners, 32–34; isolation of prisoners from, 59

W (prisoner), as informer, 135–36

Wrongs, prisoners’ willingness to discuss, 26, 31

Zieleniewski, J., 172 n.14