Anomie Sociology

This paper will discuss the connection between the sociological concept of anomie as described by Durkheim, to the issues of transitioning out of prison. I aim to explain the concept of anomie and fully define its meanings and applications. Anomic suicide will also be discussed, as it is directly relevant to central claims of this paper. Using existing empirical data from past research I discuss the difficulties of transitioning back into society after incarceration. I explain how prison culture forces inmates to adapt a certain set of skills and knowledge that are only relevant within the prison system. After release, ex-convicts have no use for these skills as they find themselves in a social context in which they are not applicable. I then

A collapse of social norms can lead to a separation between the goals of a society and the available means of successfully accomplishing those goals. If this occurs people become estranged from one another and lose their moral base and sense of purpose in life. Durkheim argues that if social limitations are weakened the acceptable goals in a given society become much larger in scope. This disseminates the ideals in that society making them more abstract and less definable. In this case, people no longer feel connected to society because they cannot distinguish what the correct path in life is. Therefore, success becomes impossible in this situation because there is no agreed upon definition of success. While social norms may seem limiting to individuals, they in fact provide a sort of blue print for success by allowing people to know what their society values. An individual whose personal moral base and norms do not match with those of the society the live in will not be able to achieve success and will likely experience

2009). Several studies indicate that readjusting to the norms and structure of life outside of prison can cause severe issues for former prisoners (Riggs 2015). These issues range from personal estrangement of a former prisoner to the reproduction of oppressive poverty (Riggs 2015). Studying the transition of people from prison to free society is a major concern for sociology and offers insight into the efficacy of the legal system. Prisoners are forced to reenter a society that is structured in a way they have become unfamiliar with. They must learn to live by a different set of standards while also bearing the stigma of a criminal record (McMurray 1993). When prisoners are released they face a total change of social context that can be hard to navigate especially if they are not well cared for or