Prison Life: Pain, Resistance, and Purpose

Prison Life offers a fresh perspective on how people in prison organize their lives, drawing on case studies from Africa, Europe, and the US. It explores how order is maintained, power is exercised, days are spent, and meaning is found in different environments. The book contrasts the soul-destroying isolation of the federal supermax in Florence, Colorado, with the crowded conviviality of an Ethiopian prison. It also explores life on wings controlled by the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland's H Blocks and how prisoners in Texas took to the courts to overthrow a regime that allowed their routine subjugation by violent men known as building tenders.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 21 February 2023
Publisher: New York University Press

Prisons around the world play a significant role in shaping the social lives of their inhabitants. Prison Life, a book by Ian O Donnell, offers a fresh appreciation of how people in prison organize their lives, drawing on case studies from Africa, Europe, and the US. The book describes how order is maintained, power is exercised, days are spent, and meaning is found in a variety of environments that all have the same function – incarceration – but discharge it very differently. It is based on an unusually diverse range of sources, including photographs, drawings, court cases, official reports, memoirs, and site visits.

One of the key themes of the book is the contrast between the soul-destroying isolation of the federal supermax in Florence, Colorado, and the crowded conviviality of an Ethiopian prison. In Florence, prisoners are isolated in small cells for long periods of time, with little opportunity for social interaction or meaningful activity. In contrast, in the Ethiopian prison, men and women cook their own meals, seek opportunities to generate an income, elect a leadership team, and live according to a code of conduct that they devised and enforce.

Donnell also explores life on wings controlled by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in Northern Ireland's H Blocks, where men who saw the actions that led to their incarceration as politically-motivated moved as one, in perpetual defiance of the authorities. He shows how prisoners in Texas took to the courts to overthrow a regime that allowed their routine subjugation by violent men known as building tenders, who had been selected by staff to supervise and discipline their peers.

In each case study, O Donnell presents the life story of a man who was molded by, and in return molded, the institution that held him. This ensures that his reflections on law and policy as well as on theory and practice never lose sight of the human angle. Imprisonment is about pain after all, and pain is personal.

One of the challenges that prisons face is the overcrowding of their facilities. Overcrowding can lead to a range of negative outcomes, including increased violence, poor health, and a lack of access to education and rehabilitation programs. Prisons in the US, for example, are overcrowded by more than 100%, with many inmates living in cells designed for two or three people.

To address overcrowding, prisons have implemented a range of strategies, including building new facilities, reducing the number of inmates, and implementing programs that promote rehabilitation and reentry. However, these strategies have been met with resistance from some members of the public, who argue that prisons should be harsh and punitive.

Another challenge that prisons face is the impact of technology on their operations. With the rise of smartphones and other digital devices, prisoners have access to a wide range of information and communication tools that can help them to stay connected with the outside world. However, these tools can also be used to facilitate criminal activity, such as drug trafficking and cybercrime.

To address the impact of technology on prisons, prisons have implemented a range of strategies, including installing cell phone jamming devices, restricting access to the internet, and implementing programs that teach prisoners how to use technology responsibly. However, these strategies have been met with resistance from some members of the public, who argue that prisoners should have access to the same technology as the rest of society.

In addition to these challenges, prisons also face a range of ethical issues. For example, the use of solitary confinement as a form of punishment has been criticized for its negative impact on mental health. Solitary confinement can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders, and can even lead to suicide.

To address the use of solitary confinement, prisons have implemented a range of strategies, including reducing the length of time that prisoners spend in solitary confinement, providing prisoners with access to mental health services, and implementing programs that promote socialization and rehabilitation. However, these strategies have been met with resistance from some members of the public, who argue that prisoners should be punished harshly for their crimes.

Despite these challenges, prisons have made significant progress in recent years. For example, prisons have implemented programs that promote education and rehabilitation, and have worked to reduce the number of inmates who reoffend. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure that prisons are safe, humane, and effective.

One of the ways that prisons can improve their operations is by increasing their transparency. Prisons should be open to the public, and should provide information about their policies and practices. This can help to build trust between the public and the prison system, and can help to reduce the number of complaints and lawsuits that are filed against prisons.

In addition to increasing their transparency, prisons should also work to improve their staff training and development. Staff should be trained to recognize and address the needs of prisoners, and should be provided with the resources and support that they need to do their jobs effectively.

Finally, prisons should work to improve their relationship with the community. Prisons should be seen as a valuable resource to the community, and should work to provide services and programs that benefit the community. This can include providing job training and employment opportunities to prisoners, and providing services to victims of crime.

In conclusion, prisons around the world play a significant role in shaping the social lives of their inhabitants. Prison Life offers a fresh appreciation of how people in prison organize their lives, drawing on case studies from Africa, Europe, and the US. The book describes how order is maintained, power is exercised, days are spent, and meaning is found in a variety of environments that all have the same function – incarceration – but discharge it very differently. By increasing their transparency, improving their staff training and development, and improving their relationship with the community, prisons can improve their operations and ensure that they are safe, humane, and effective.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479816132