Jailed!

Observations of the Societal Structure of a Jail Housing Unit

Abstract

This article is an autobiographical account of the thirty days that I spent as a detainee at the Manhattan Detention Center (MDC). Given little to no information about the circumstances that warranted my arrest and detention, I began my own investigation into how the criminal justice system differs from its representations to the public and how it systemically fails certain communities. I observed that the environment in incarceration fosters the creation of a unique society. Using conversations with fellow detainees on their past and present confinement, I studied the makeshift societal structure within MDC. Focusing primarily on the housing unit, which was a barter system trade community, I was able to introduce minute system changes and observe their overall effect. The end result was a stronger interconnected community based on mutual respect and the elimination of marginalized status. Further study on the communities that arise in various incarceration environments could lead to better jail and prison conditions, more positive outcomes for detainees upon release, and a potentially a decrease in recidivism rates.