Life in Prison - Essay Example

Download file "Life in Prison" to see previous pages... This is coupled with the political system, economic background and culture followed inside prisons. The writer also discusses a number of philosophies which play a vital part in this book. Carceral talks of the importance of understanding why criminals choose the path they are convicted for (Pollock 2005).
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The book is not the work and opinion of Caceral alone; it is coupled with the perspective of the four editors of the book. This adds a unbiased touch to the book as it is not limited to the ideas of a convict alone but also of individuals who are living in the outside world. Little is said about the crime committed that forces the writer into prison but the novel is interesting in its concept and theory for a number of reasons.
The first striking thing about this novel is the politics that run inside a prison. Despite every individual being behind protective custody, the life shown by Carceral makes it seem like life in the jungle: a quest for survival. The weaker inmates are threatened by stronger ones who use and abuse the weak individuals. Like life in the wild, the weak learn to adjust to life in these tough prisons through different means. They either join prison gangs which afford them the security they lack or they pay for their protection. It is not the weakest convicts who adjust to the system. According to the book, each individual learns to manipulate their way to the system. This is used to gain advantage and survive within the prison cells. This is evident in the way the prisoners exploit the clinical tests and physicians to gain medication that will assist them in fitting and adjusting to their environment. Thus, by using these wrongfully obtained drugs, the inmates get high or sell the drugs off to other inmates to make money.
Economics plays a vital role in the prison cell. This economy decides the life the inmate will lead inside the prison cell. Not only is this money important for their survival but it also helps in the conditions provided to every inmate. The text speaks of $130 being given to each inmate every month. While this seems like a phenomenally small amount to the ordinary individual, it is actually a great amount for the inmates who need not pay for housing or any other bills. This lack of expenses makes the amount given to the inmates enough to buy the basic resources they need. The inmates can choose to spend this on food, water, cigarettes or the protection they need to survive. Thus, each inmate is given the money to decide on the resources they wish to buy with their money. Apart from this economy, the convict can seek other ways to achieve to obtain their goods. Bartering is a perfect tool for gaining items that the inmates need. An instance of the goods that were traded included leather belts and laundry services, showing that the most basic of necessities are of such importance that inmates will exchange their very belongings to get them. Thus, the prison cell is also an economic world where barter and money are of as much importance for survival as they would be in the real world.
An individual named Anonymous is introduced. This character is important in the non-fiction book because it allows the reader to divulge into the details of a specific person, thus allowing them to better relate to them. The first of these is the way of "minding your own business." This technique allows ...Download file "Life in Prison" to see next pagesRead More