Final answer:
The central idea of the article is that many prison inmates' views on what it means to be a man are changed by their prison experiences, which is best identified as option A. This aligns with discussions about the impact of total institutions on resocialization and the criminal justice system's rehabilitation capabilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The central idea of the article seems to focus on how prison incarceration impacts the inmates' perception of self and their ability to reintegrate into society upon release. Options A and D both touch upon aspects of this central theme, with A suggesting that inmates' views on manhood are shaped and potentially changed by their prison experience, and D highlighting the difficulties inmates face when adjusting to society post-incarceration due to challenges in expressing emotions. However, based on the given information, the best identification of the article's central idea would be option A: Many prison inmates' views on what it means to be a man are changed by their experiences during and after their time spent in prison. This option encompasses the transformations inmates undergo and the lasting effects of the prison environment on personality and behavior, as well as on social relationships, better aligning with the provided references to resocialization, the effects of total institutions, and the controversy over the criminal justice system's approach to rehabilitation.