Gresham Sykes wrote the book at the height of the Cold War, motivated by the world's experience of fascism and communism to study the closest thing to a totalitarian system in American life: a maximum security prison. The book is remarkably short--just 150 pages--but bristles with ideas. Sykes argued that many of the psychological effects of modern prison are even more brutal than the physical cruelties of the past. The trauma of being designated one of the very worst human beings in the world left prisoners with lifelong ...
Read More
Gresham Sykes wrote the book at the height of the Cold War, motivated by the world's experience of fascism and communism to study the closest thing to a totalitarian system in American life: a maximum security prison. The book is remarkably short--just 150 pages--but bristles with ideas. Sykes argued that many of the psychological effects of modern prison are even more brutal than the physical cruelties of the past. The trauma of being designated one of the very worst human beings in the world left prisoners with lifelong scars. It also inspired solidarity among prisoners and fierce resistance to authorities as strategies for rejecting those who rejected them. His analysis called into question whether prisons genuinely were, as many believed, "total institutions," where every facet of life was rigidly controlled. Sykes showed that the stronger the bonds among prisoners, the more difficult it was for prison guards to run the prisons without finding ways of "accommodating" the prisoners. The book set the stage for Michel Foucault's Discipline and Punish, among other works. Since it appeared in 1958, it has served society as an indispensable text in coming to terms with the nature of modern power.
Read Less
Add this copy of The Society of Captives: a Study of a Maximum Security to cart. $7.99, good condition, Sold by Zoom Books East rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Glendale Heights, IL, UNITED STATES, published 1971 by Princeton University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Book is in good condition and may include underlining highlighting and minimal wear. The book can also include From the library of labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys dvds etc. We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service.
Add this copy of Society of Captives: a Study of a Maximum Security to cart. $10.98, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 1971 by Princeton University Press.
Add this copy of Society of Captives: a Study of a Maximum Security to cart. $10.98, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1971 by Princeton University Press.
Add this copy of The Society of Captives: a Study of a Maximum Security to cart. $12.13, fair condition, Sold by Seagull Bookshop rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hove, EAST SUSSEX, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1971 by Princeton University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. Size: 6x0x9; Has some light general reading/shelfwear, with some highlighting and margin notes in pencil-otherwise, this is a clean, tight copy. Dispatch within 24hrs from the UK.
Add this copy of The Society of Captives a Study of a Maximum Security to cart. $13.95, very good condition, Sold by Gian Luigi Fine Books, Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Albany, NY, UNITED STATES, published 1974 by PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS.
Add this copy of The Society of Captives: a Study of a Maximum Security to cart. $15.62, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Ruby rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Princeton University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Society of Captives: a Study of a Maximum Security to cart. $15.62, fair condition, Sold by HPB-Red rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Princeton University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. Connecting readers with great books since 1972. Used textbooks may not include companion materials such as access codes, etc. May have condition issues including wear and notes/highlighting. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Society of Captives: a Study of a Maximum Security to cart. $18.50, good condition, Sold by Eighth Day Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Wichita, KS, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Princeton University Press.
Add this copy of Society of Captives a Study of a Maximum Security to cart. $19.61, good condition, Sold by TextbookRush rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Grandview Hts, OH, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Princeton University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. All orders ship SAME or NEXT business day. Expedited shipments will be received in 1-5 business days within the United States. We proudly ship to APO/FPO addresses. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!
Sykes delivers an insightful and accurate account of the development of a culture within prisons - a society of captives. Deprived of normal interactions, prisoners react by changing themselves, and not in a good fashion.
Written from a sociological perspective, Sykes gives readers an inside view of what most people will never see - prison.
Anyone with an interest in penology, criminology, or just knows someone behind bars will find this work fascinating.
