Convicts and Convictions: The Society, Identity, and Morality of Incarcerated Men

Abstract

This dissertation is a qualitative study of the social and moral order of incarcerated men in the United States. Through one-on-one interviews, administrative document review, and observations, I have discovered a rich moral life of inmates that is intimately tied to their social order. I examine the spatial, temporal, and organizational landscape of the inmates; produce a novel typology of inmates that looks at their relationship with the administrative order and their orientation to either the prison or beyond the prison; examine how inmates manage their body and the space around them; and look at economic activity, both formal and informal, inside of the prison. I use Burke and Stets’ social psychological control theory of identity to understand why people behave the way that they do in interaction with others. I conclude with summary statements and present potential policy implications and areas of future research.