Prisonization is described when an inmate learns how to act in prison. Other inmates will teach a new inmate how to act, how to develop the right attitude and behaviors and what is consider the norm for prison life (Allen, Latessa, Ponder, 2016). A new inmate will learn the ways and customs of how to act on the inside, it is more or less a prison code that inmates go by. It is handed down from prisoner to prisoner and takes away from one’s rehabilitation. It interferes with an inmates ability to learn new skills and talents in order to succeed in free society, it also causes their behavior to resemble that of a child rather than a mature adult (Allen, Latessa, Ponder, 2016). Inmates learn a system of rewards if they do well and punishment if they do not, they learn how to operate in a prison environment rather than in society itself.
Prisonization creates problems because inmates learn to never rat on anyone, never trust guards, always share with your cellmates, they learn manliness such as to never cry or show feelings. They know if they follow the code, they can count on other inmates should they ever need help. If they do not follow prison code they will be outcasts, considered rats, snitches or punks (Allen, Latessa, Ponder, 2016). If inmates are sticking together, there is no way the guards can tear them apart and this can cause many problems in prison. Inmates learn to stand up for criminal values and rehabilitation is virtually impossible.
