Prison Inmates' Experiences in the Gorgona Penal Colony, Italy: Towards a Theory of Communicative Support

Abstract

The study explored how inmates in the Gorgona penal colony engaged in communication for social support from their perspective and context. The Gorgona Agricultural Penal Colony is a men-only detention center with rehabilitative philosophies and strategies in helping prepare prisoners to successfully re-enter society. Guided by Charmaz’s Constructivist Grounded Theory, the study employed a qualitative methodology, using non-participant observations and in-depth semi-structured interviews among 20 inmates from September to November in 2021.

The inmates’ interactions revealed four concepts of communicative support, namely: 1) communicating accountability; 2) validating feelings, thoughts, or actions; 3) providing social companionship; and 4) expressing emotions.

A theory of communicative support applicable outside the prison system is proposed with these concepts: 1) accountability and protection; 2) validation; 3) social integration; and 4) self-expression.