Stateville: The Penitentiary in Mass Society

摘要: Stateville penitentiary in Illinois has housed some of Chicago's most infamous criminals and was proclaimed to be "the world's toughest prison" by Joseph Ragen, Stateville's powerful warden from 1936 1961. It shares with Attica, San Quentin, Jackson the notoriety being one maximum security prisons that shaped public's conception imprisonment. In "Stateville" James B. Jacobs, a sociologist legal scholar, presents first historical examination total prison organization-administrators, guards, prisoners, special interest groups. Jacobs applies Edward Shils's interpretation dynamics mass society order explain dramatic events past quarter century have permanently altered structure. With extension civil rights previously marginal groups such as racial minorities, poor, and, ultimately, incarcerated, moved society's periphery toward its center. Accordingly control mechanisms became less authoritarian more legalistic bureaucratic. As prisoners' increased, preogatives staff were sharply curtailed. By early 1970s administration proved incapable dealing politicized gangs, proliferating groups, unionized interventionist courts. addition extensive archival research, spent many months freely interacting administrators at Stateville. His lucid presentation troubled history will provide fascinating reading for wide audience concerned readers. ." . [an] impressive study complex social system."-Isidore Silver, "Library Journal"