Totem and taboo in the penitentiary subculture

The article is devoted to the analysis of the prisons totems and taboos phenomenon. It is shown that the modern penitentiary subculture, as a negative socioregulatory system is characterized by the presence of a complex system of taboos and totems. Researchers of the penitentiary subculture have repeatedly noted the similarities between the primitive and prison communities. This phenomenon is largely due to the fact that under conditions of imprisonment, a person’s outlook narrows, intelligence decreases, and their value orientation changes. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that, despite the presence of a complex system of prison taboos and totems among convicts, as the main manifestations of the penitentiary subculture, a very small number of scientific works are devoted to the genesis and understanding of this phenomenon. The aim of the article is to analyze the phenomenon of prison taboos and totems in the penitentiary subculture. The work shows that for the formation and preservation of a developed system of totems and taboos in the prison environment, a certain critical weight of such indicators as the size of the prison population and the severity of conditions of detention of prisoners is required. An important role in this is also played by such phenomena inherent in being in the penitentiary space, such as chronic stress, a sense of fear and uncertainty. The article reveals the general principles of the formation of prison totems and taboos. At the same time, it is shown that the leading mechanisms for the formation of prison taboos are the techniques of sympathetic and imitation magic. The author’s proposed classification of prison totems and taboos are presented. It is noted that the convict’s adherence to a certain image-totem contributes to his self-identification, determination of his place in the prison social hierarchy, and the formation of a criminal model of behavior. Practical examples of prison taboos and totems are given. It is shown that prison taboos are largely associated with the existence in the social hierarchy of the prison population of castes of «untouchables». The attention of readers is focused on the harshness towards those who violated prison taboos, which can manifest itself in physical punishment, transfer to the lower prison castes, in some cases — the death sentence. The practical significance of the work is the understanding the phenomenon of prison taboos and totems, that can affect the development of measures aimed at combating the manifestations of the penitentiary subculture in places of detention.