Final answer:
Male inmates adjust to incarceration through resocialization in a total institution, which involves a profound shift in identity and adherence to the prison's rules and norms. This experience varies from one individual to another, with some adjusting quickly as shown by the Stanford prison experiment. The challenge continues upon release with the process of readjustment to civilian life.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most male inmates adjust to incarceration through a process known as resocialization, a fundamental change in how they live and see themselves, adapting to the rules and social norms of the prison. Prisons are considered total institutions where inmates are isolated from the broader society and must follow strict regulations and routines. This environment can lead to a loss of personal freedoms, rights, and attachments to their former identities as new prisoners are made to give up personal belongings, adopt prison uniforms, and are subjected to degradation ceremonies to facilitate their integration into the prison culture. Adjusting to life in prison varies among individuals. Some may find comfort in the structure and regimentation, while others may find it challenging and dehumanizing. In the Stanford prison experiment, for example, participants quickly assimilated into their assigned roles of prisoners and guards, with guards engaging in sadistic behavior, illustrating how quickly one can adapt to an authoritative role within an institution. Upon release, the challenge becomes one of readjustment to society at large, a process not dissimilar from the resocialization they experienced upon entering the institution. Soldiers transitioning from military service may find similar difficulties, as they have also been part of a total institution where personal goals are set aside for the mission. Whether or not prisoners are effectively rehabilitated to reintegrate into society remains a topic of debate among scholars and practitioners within the criminal justice system.