Desistance and Prison Culture: A Trifurcated Prisoner Classification Theory

Abstract

Social scientists have debated “real desistance” (Maruna et al., 2004) from crime for years. Criminal activity happens before incarceration and institutions are expected to correct the off ending behaviour. In the current article, I explore prison culture through the lens of a participant observer with 9.5 years of direct cultural immersion. Prisoner culture is unique and the prison environment has an impact on what a prisoner views as possible within the carceral space, but prisoner culture also impacts what information is transmitted about prison. I introduce a trifurcated classifi cation theory of people in prison as: Active Persistors, Passive Desistors, and Dedicated Desistors.