The ‘King of the Wing,’ ‘Lads,’ and the ‘Nerds’: Contemporary Young Prisoner Society, Prison Victimisation, and the Prison Illicit Economy
摘要
Building on the classic texts of prison sociology that pointed to a clear prisoner hierarchy and series of argot (social) roles, this chapter sets out the structure and composition of young prisoner society. It not only focuses on the dynamic nature of social relations, but also notes that the term ‘victim’ had a particular meaning. Since nearly all young men had been tested, threatened, or assaulted, it was not the experience of victimisation that made someone a victim, but their response. Consequently, not all victims defined themselves as such. Moreover, this chapter develops a finer analysis of the ‘perpetrator’ and ‘victim-perpetrator’ roles and explores why some young men were able to avoid ongoing violence and victimisation.