| In the Belly of the Beast | Jack Henry Abbott | The "Pains of Imprisonment" and "The Inmate Social System" | | |

"In the Belly of the Beast" is a generous collection of autobiographical, political, and philosophical letters to an author from a man who takes life head on, but with a different approach. Norman Mailer, an author, was in the middle of writing a novel entitled "The Executioner Song", which is the story about a murderer named Gary Gilmore. While this novel was in the works, Mailer received a letter from Jack Henry Abbott, a convict having been in jail most of his life. Abbott's letter was solely criticism that accused Mailer of not knowing what real life in prison is like, but that Abbott would do everything in his power to clarify the aspects of what violence and everyday life is like in prison. A wide array of subject matter was covered far past the basic account of "a day in the life of an prisoner". The rationale of the inmate hierarchy is displayed from the inside with a totality that would take years of research and interviews. It is clear that there is no doubt concerning the feelings Abbott has for his jailers, and the establishment they represent. He clearly expresses throughout his writings that the corrections system exists to oppress the unfortunate and underprivileged. Abbott began to talk about the fact that he was in and out of foster homes almost from the time of his birth. By the age of nine, he was already in juvenile detention centers. The downhill trend continued for Abbott as he was sent to the Utah State Industrial School for Boys at the young age of twelve. He was only released from this institution when he reached the age of eighteen. The correspondence are depictions of extraordinary events that have allegedly happened over a span of about fifteen years. Therefore, even before he became an adult, he was subjected to violence, deviant behavior, and prison-like environments. There are many other aspects of deprivation or frustration about the human psyche left to its own devices are deep wells of analytical possibilities. In an attempted to understand the psychological effects of prison life on the inmates, a study was conducted by Sykes, at the New Jersey State Prison. Sykes (1958: 64) stated when you place many individuals together that have similar problems in a confined and restrictive environment, it is going to yield a unique social order. He also pointed out that the deprivations or frustrations of prison life today might be viewed as punishments which the free community deliberately inflicts on the offender for violating the law (Sykes 1958: 65). He coined the term “pains of imprisonment” to show the deprivations an inmate goes through while incarcerated. The following are the five pains of imprisonment and an explanation of each deprivation. The first is the deprivation of liberty. This deprivation is the most obvious one. "The prisoner’s loss of liberty is a double one-first, by confinement to the institution, and second, by confinement within the institution (Sykes 1958: 65)." The stigma that you are now labeled as a criminal is hard to get past, it becomes your master status, and you are taken away from society. "In the Belly of the Beast" Abbott (1981), discusses that "a man is taken away from his experience of society, taken away from the experience of a living planet of living things, when he is sent to prison. A man is taken away from other prisoners, from his experiences of other people, when he is locked away in solitary confinement (52)". He was referring to being stripped of their free-will, and their minds deprived of social interaction.
The second is the deprivation of goods and services. "It is the basic needs of the prisoner are met; they don’t go hungry, wet, or cold, but the standard of living misses the point when trying to explain the deprivation of goods and services (Sykes: 1958: 68)". They attack the perception of the personality by taking away their belongings, making them feel poor, and then the prisoner is defined by what they have. For instance, the car you drive, the house you live in defines who you are, and a large part of the perception we have of ourselves.
According to Abbott (1981), when sent to solitary or the hole, "a Bible or one Book of Mormon, a set of white coveralls, your head is shaved, and one sleeping mat and bedsheet is all you get (30)". During this deprivation your self-worth is attacked, Abbott states, "they go for your mind in prison today-- where before, it was all physical suffering (20)." He also states that they are sent to prison to be broken, and find themselves.
The third deprivation is the deprivation of heterosexual relationships. "The inmates in the study did not get the privilege to have conjugal visits with their loved ones. If the inmate, then, is rejected and impoverished by the facts of his imprisonment, he is also figuratively castrated by his involuntary celibacy" (Sykes 1958: 70). The prisoners are not to engage in consensual sex with members of the opposite sex. According to Abbott, they find new ways to have sex; rape in prison is not about sex and it usually involves violence, it is more about masculine dominance, control, and power. In fact during a riot, one of the first things that take place is "guards are sexually dominated, usually sodomized (Abbott: 78)." The fourth deprivation according to Sykes is the deprivation of autonomy. "The inmate is subjected to a vast body of rules and commands which are designed to control his behavior at every minute of the day (73)". In other words, your personal choices about your life, as to when you shower, what you eat, or what you can do are taken away. Sykes sums up the deprivation of autonomy in the following sentence. “The important point is that the frustration of the prisoner’s ability to make choices and the frequent refusals to provide an explanation for the regulations and commands descending from the bureaucratic staff involve a profound threat to the prisoner’s self image because they reduce the prisoner to the weak, helpless, dependent status of childhood (Sykes 1958: 73)." Personal identity may also be negatively affected by deprivation of autonomy; according to Sykes (1958), a loss of autonomy reduces a prisoner to a weak, helpless and dependent status once found in childhood, which can present a threat to their self image as an adult. Abbott, in a sense, has an accurate point in criticizing the American prisons, and possibly the society that should regulate them, only because improvements could and should be made. But to criticize American society for putting him into prison and blaming them for the life he created for himself particularly before he could even do fractions is not only wrong, but it is a ludicrous assumption to say the least. I do not agree with his Communist and biased attitude toward a society that he has not yet experienced.
According to Abbott (1981), the mind does not regulate its own condition. Mental depression, for example, is a state of mind caused by the body. In a cell or in the hole it only seems that there is a separation of mind and body - in fact, the body's condition (of deprivation of sensations; experiences, functions, and so on) controls the moods of the mind more than in any other situation I can think of (52). Thus, reducing you to a weak, helpless, and a dependant state of mind. When this happens prisoners who are released back into society have a hard time functioning on the outside. The fifth and final deprivation is the deprivation of security. An inmate in the New Jersey State Prison stated, “the worst thing about prison is you have to live with other prisoners” (Sykes 1958: 77). Every inmate knows sooner or later another inmate is going to test the boundaries set by them. They know prison is not a safe place, it is a constant fear and anxiety that someone is going to do your harm and having to be on your guard to protect yourself. Once they are paroled they find it hard to sleep and feel safe. Abbott states "I do not know how I will feel at being given parole. The thought of legally being free from prison receded from my mind, my feelings, so long ago I honestly do not recall a time I ever had plans or hopes of being a free man in this country again in my life (166)." The "pains of imprisonment" are true in every aspect, from the loss of liberty, to the loss of security. The fear the prisoners live in every day, the violence they are subjected to whether by inmates or the guards. I believe that for some though, the loss of liberty, and loss of contact with family members can be especially damaging. There are some ways of lessening the "pains of imprisonment" and the frustration that accompanies it and still have the punishment fit the crime. There are two cultures: the collectivist culture is one in which people tend to view themselves as members of groups and usually consider the needs of the group to be more important than the needs of individuals. According to Abbott (1981), "Whites have to stay close to one another in most if the large penitentiaries and defend each other (154)." He is saying that there is an advantage by races staying together to live in harmony and to have mutual regard for each other. The other is the individualist culture is one in which people tend to view themselves as individuals and to emphasize the needs of individuals. In solidarity, the prisoner then selects to be alone, and will live in fear, and anxiety. Sykes and Messinger (1960), define the prisoner community or “inmate social system” as a set of social relationships, and related values and roles, with underlying norms, attitudes, and beliefs. There are three aspects to prison life "inmate culture", "prison community", or the "inmate social system (427)". There is a list of five basic tenets. The first is "Don't interfere with inmates interests, which means do not rat on another inmate, be loyal to the class of cons, and never take them to the officials--or you will be labeled a rat or squealer" (Sykes: 428)". Abbott (1981) states that " you try to keep to yourself, you don't comfort one another, and you lie for one another (86)". Basically, regardless of what you saw or heard, just ignore it and mind your own business. He also talked about how if the "pigs" (guards) looked at him he would look back, if they pushed he would push back. Abbott did not put up with anything from anyone, including authority. The second is "Don't lose your head" basically flatten your emotions, do your own time and ignore daily irritants, play it cool--you will be known as a Toughs. (Sykes: 428)". In Abbott's book "In the Belly of the Beast" (1981), that in order to live "in peace in such circumstances can change you into one of those damned men who will do anything to live, to exist biologically (67)". The third is "Don't exploit inmates" do not steal from them, do not sell favors, and do not break your word. Which would refer to other prisoners and even guards-- this is called a Merchant or peddler. Abbott (1981) makes the comment, "if I take a punk, she is mine. He is like a slave, a chattel slave. I can sell her, or lend her, or she can be taken away from me (80)". He will do whatever I ask, from cleaning my cell phone, to washing my clothes. The fourth is "Don't weaken" do not whine, cop out, be tough-- be masculine. Abbott refers to being weakness that is not giving in to other inmates, be void of emotion. "But in prison there are many broke men. I've seen them wince when a pig walks by (68)". If you show weakness you will be labeled as a weakling, or weak sister. You have to stand up for yourself whether to another prison or a guard or the consequences could be your life. It is the mentality kill or be killed. The fifth and final is "Don't be a sucker" guards are hacks or screws; never value anything that authority values and never identify with authority-- you will be labeled a square john or an innocent. According to Abbott (1981), "the "working code" of a convict is at the bottom to best man, the pig. To do what he can to get his time done and get out of prison (68)". "A prisoner is taught to agree with the pig, and to never resist. Whenever possible do not be seen talking to a "pig" because you are more likely to be thought of as a snitch or rat. There is a value in the inmate social structure called the right guy, he is the hero of the prison. He follows the "rules and fulfills the norms of the society of prisoners, he celebrates the inmate code rather than violating it (Sykes: 429)". He does not take advantage of people and is willing to deal with prison officials. With these elements in mind, prison regimes themselves will fail if not enough attention is paid to reducing the unwanted effects of the pains of imprisonment. Yes, we want our prisons to be harsh, in order to effectively deter, but they must not be cruel, illegitimate, degrading, humiliating or purely punishment orientated, for if they are, any positive benefits of the prison in the form of deterrent are outweighed by the much higher cost of maintaining the regime, and the people who will return to it. Abbott points out the code of cohesion, that he will always side with the other prisoners and not the guards. Therefore, the significance of the deprivation lies within the frustrations they cause, loss of freedom-free-will, lack of heterosexual relationships, isolation from society, whether in solitary or society just to name a few. In conclusion, I felt that both Sykes and Messinger's, five deprivations, and the five tenets are very accurate to Abbotts accounts in the letters he wrote. In my opinion, Sykes and Abbott, agree on many of the deprivations, frustrations, and tenets. In a sense, Abbott has an accurate point in criticizing the American prisons, and possibly the society that should regulate them, only because improvements could and should be made. But to criticize American society for putting him into prison and blaming them for the life he created for himself particularly before he could even do fractions is not only wrong, but it is a ludicrous assumption to say the least. I do not agree with his Communist and biased attitude toward a society that he has not yet experienced. Prison conditions could certainly be improved, but that is only a small piece of the complicated puzzle of Abbott's life. He was emotionally damaged by poor prison conditions, but he was unable to turn his life around and accept society. Did the prison system and society let Abbott down by not offering adequate rehabilitation, we will never know. In reality, the bottom line is Abbott where he is because of his lack of choice in early life, his unwillingness to adjust to society when he might have, and society failure to take on a responsibility for rehabilitation of maladjusted criminals.

Bibliography

Abbott, Jack Henry. 1991. (or the correct date of your own book) In the Belly of the Beast. NY: Vintage.

Sykes, Gresham. 1958. “The Pains of Imprisonment.” Pp. 63-83 in The Society of Captives. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Sykes, Gresham and Sheldon L. Messinger. 1994. “The Inmate Social System.” Pp. 427-436 in Classics of Criminology. Ed. by Joseph E. Jacoby. Prospect Heights, Ill.: Waveland Press.