Enforcing the Convict Code: Violence and Prison Culture

Is it possible that a prison's gangs, racial tensions, and underground economy may actually serve to make it a less dangerous place? In this examination of violence behind bars, Rebecca Trammell illuminates the social code that prisoners enforce--in defiance of official rules and regulations--to maintain a predictable order. Trammell also compares the experiences of male and female prisoners, underscoring the role of gender and sexual assault in shaping life behind bars. Equally important, she explores the significance of prison culture for the fate of convicts when they leave the prison environment.