Commentary: individual adjustment experiences in carceral settings

The “pains of imprisonment, " famously outlined by Gresham Sykes, have stood the test of time because they capture the universal essences of the lived experience of captivity. Yet, these pains are neither invariant across different individuals and groups nor are they immune to at least partial amelioration. This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part addresses these variations on the experience of incarceration - either with unique populations or else in specific conditions. It explores the understudied issue of video visitation in a sample of women in prison. The part then provides an equally thoughtful and systematic analysis of the misconduct levels of those who have committed murder. It also takes a multi-dimensional approach to examine prison adjustment for the understudied population of women lifers. The part examines important new life (and humanity) into the sometimes stultifying subject of prison programming.