DB Replies WK4

Faith

Within male prisons, there is a hierarchy of positions. What this looks like in a male prison system is that there are roles that inmates will either take on or be forced into, in which there are people who have power and people who are subordinate. There are different ways that people have identified and categorized prisoners and Schmalleger developed a typology of inmate roles in male prisons based on “actual social roles found among inmates in prison.” ( ) The 13 inmate roles are: (1) The real man, (2) the mean dude, (3) the bully, (4) the agitator, (5) the hedonist, (6) the opportunist, (7) the retreatist, (8) the legalist, (9) the radical, (10) the colonist, (11) the religious inmate, (12) the punk, and (13) the gang-banger. In male prison, it looks more like a power structure.

Female prisons are quite different than male prisons. Not only in physical structure but social structure as well. Schmalleger and Smkyla (2021) explain that there are differences in how the buildings look such as the neatness and location of female prisons compared to more rough-edged male prisons. They also explain that in the social structure of women’s prisons, they develop a “substitute universe” and “preserve an identity.” They mention that relationships are encouraged and that roles assumed are based on personality, personal dependence, etc.

These structures influence the challenges that female inmates specifically face while being institutionalized because unlike in female prisons, there are a lot of facilities and opportunities that are available to male inmates. Schmalleger and Smkyla (2021) state that “treatment, education, recreation, and other programs in women’s prisons have often been criticized as inferior to those in men’s prisons”(Schmalleger & Smkyla, 2021). The lack of programs and the overcrowding have posed several issues for female inmates such as a better chance at rehabilitation. I believe that there is more that correctional institutions can do in responding to these challenges that both female and male inmates are facing in prison. Hebrews 13:3 says “continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” (English Standard Version Bible, 2001, Heb. 13:3)This teaches and encourages us to want better treatment for prisoners especially if they are rehabilitation programs. Female inmates who are getting the short end of the stick when it comes to treatment, education, opportunities, etc. will have a harder time understanding how to be better. It is important that we pay attention to that.

To respond to the special needs of inmates, correctional institutions have to first learn and adopt the proper procedures to identify inmates with special needs and react according. The Handbook on Prisoners with special needs states that “public health policies and strategies must include the needs of prisoners and adequate funding must be provided to prison health services to meet the needs of prisoners with mental (and physical) health care requirements.” (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2009) This is extremely critical for juveniles because the process of recognizing special needs earlier on and then addressing it will allow psychologists and correctional agencies to better find solutions to help. It is extremely important to accommodate these needs so that inmates can get the help that they need.