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Gender in Prison

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Masculinities and the Adult Male Prison Experience

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Abstract

Masculinity is, arguably, the central tenet underpinning and shaping the adult male prison experience. Masculinity can be seen woven into nearly every account in some manner, through the notions of control, ownership, dominance, or independence. During interviews, and when observing men in the general prison population, it was clear that masculinity played a key role. When staff shouted on the wings, or prisoners shouted between cells, they generally did so in a booming (almost animalistic) masculine tone, and numerous participants would describe examples of masculine presence in terms of deep vocal ranges and the flexing of muscles. They also did this to demonstrate masculine discourse for my benefit, in addition to using flirtatious comments, jokes, and innuendo.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Referring to the Vulnerable Prisoners’ Unit.

  2. 2.

    Voluntary Drug Testing Unit

  3. 3.

    Many, many thanks to Dr Paula Hamilton for all her help with the desistance literature!

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Law and Criminology, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK

    Jennifer Anne Sloan

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  1. Jennifer Anne Sloan
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Sloan, J.A. (2016). Gender in Prison. In: Masculinities and the Adult Male Prison Experience. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-39915-1_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-39915-1_8

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  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-39914-4

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