Frequent scheduling of mass activities in the company of other inmates, group punishment, and administering physical punishment before groups of inmates enhance the probability that inmates identify strongly with one another against staff. When, in addition, staff maintain domineering authority relationships and considerable social dishance, inmates further perceive themselves as members of a group opposed to staff, and divergent interests between these groups are more fully recognized

“You know,” he said as they started back up the corridor, “it might be better if we don’t yell, going in. It’s startling. It’s bound to be a lot easier to hit people if they’re not jumping around and ducking behind things.”
“They do it that way on the vids,” Mayhew offered.

Some of the people on death row today might not be there if the courts had not been so lenient on them when they were first offenders.

A human being will accept the strictest disciplinary measures with a better grace if he knows that they will fall with equal severity on his neighbor. Justice in some mysterious way makes up for violence.

In total institutions there is a basic split between a large managed group, conveniently called inmates, and a small supervisory staff. Inmates typically live in the institution and have restricted contact with the world outside the walls. The staff often operates on an eight-hour day and is socially integrated into the outside world.

If you're trying to take a roomful of people by surprise, it's a lot easier to hit your targets if you don't yell going through the door.

Instead, “disciplined” people are better at structuring their lives in a way that does not require heroic willpower and self-control.

You know, if you're trying to take a roomful of people by surprise, it's a lot easier to hit your targets if you don't yell going through the door.

You know, if you’re trying to take a roomful of people by surprise, it’s a lot easier to hit your targets if you don’t yell going through the door.

[A]s a proportion of the labor force, fewer individuals manipulate things, more handle people and symbols.

Imposing sanctions may feel good. But if they are actually to do good, we must refine how they are used.

Criminal means once tolerated are soon preferred.

It's a fairly unique position; to have been in charge of prison funding and then to have been an inmate. I wish I'd been more generous.

Collateral damage during hostage rescue missions is more acceptable than that in an all-out war.