What I have Learned!

Overall, masculinity in prison is dramatically different than what is society typically expects from men. While in prison, men are more accustomed to toxic masculinity, where by domination and aggressive competition are thwarted throughout the grounds. Inmates reconstruct alternative definitions of what masculinity is than what the typical norm is outside of prison. The propensity for violence and aggression become a significant problem for inmates leaving and entering society. If you think of it, inmates need to adjust going into prison and when they leave. This type of change is confusing, and can be factored to whether crime will be continued upon reentering society. As I have talked about before, resistance in the inside to counseling and treatment, make leaving prison a potential problem. What will inmates do in the future when the options for treatment or help are offered? Will they stick to their altered masculinity form or will they be able to adapt and transition accordingly so as to prevent their return to prison. I believe there are all kinds of possible solutions to this type of influence. One of the things that I have learned in my Restorative Justice class is that repairing the harm comes from taking into consideration the perspectives (inclusion) of the offender, the victim, and the community. I feel that in some form, prisons could be systematically structured in holding a similar model for understanding what masculinity is and how it can impact one’s life. Restorative justice is known for accountability and has been known to reduce crime in the areas where restorative justice approaches are practiced. The education received from this message could be vast and could bring about possible reductions in recidivism rates. More examinations of masculinity and violence should move towards a better operationalization of the concept of masculinity. Without a strong operational definition, interactions between masculinity and other variables are impossible. More elaboration on both positive and negative outlets that exist to assert masculinity is necessary. Future efforts need to include both men and women in their sample research. Masculinity is too often only examined in relation to men. Masculinity is a characteristic of gender, not sex; therefore the addition of women to the sample may greatly increase the current knowledge base. Messerschmitt (1993) only discussed men in his masculinity hypothesis, the appropriate and less appropriate outlets that women have to assert their gender may lead to a better conceptualization of Messerschmitt’s original idea.

References:
Messerschmidt, James W. 1993. Masculinities and Crime: Critique and
Reconceptuatlization of Theory: Rowan & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.