Prison Experiences

For this discussion , think closely about the experiences of incarceration and how those experiences might affect you. Consider how prison experiences are often depicted in media and popular culture.

1. Of the five pains of imprisonment that were described by Sykes, which one do you think would be the most painful or challenging for most inmates? Why?
2. Now, think about yourself. Imagine if you were incarcerated starting today, and spent the next ten years in prison. What types of things do you think you would miss out on? What do you think might be the most difficult challenges you would face? And what effects do you think those losses or challenges might have on your behavior while you were incarcerated?
3. Go on YouTube and find a video that depicts something about the inmate experience. It can be a clip from a news or investigative journalism story, an interview with a current or former inmate, or a scene from a fictional show or movie. Provide a link to the YouTube video. Then, briefly describe how the depiction of inmate life in that clip matches (or doesn’t match) the experiences discussed in the readings.
4. As you worked through the materials for this week, what did you find most enlightening or interesting? What questions developed as you completed the readings and watched the presentations?

Please post what you view as the appropriate responses to the above prompts. Your initial post should be 250-300 words.