‘It's No Time or High Time’: Young Offenders' Experiences of Time and Drug Use in Prison

Abstract

Article: This article explores perspectives of time amongst young male inmates in prison and reflects on their cannabis use as a strategy that enabled them to manage their long sentences. The article considers the theoretical foundations of time and its association with punishment and prison, arguing that prison time is conceptually distinct from experiences of time outside prison. The overt external control over inmates' time and the limited resources available to make time 'flow' means time is experienced consciously in prison. This experience of time influenced the significance and function of the inmates' cannabis use, which helped them to control and manipulate the passing of their sentence.

Remote Control: the role of TV in prison

“…Accounts from prisoners indicate a significant recognition that TV viewing in prison provides some diversion from the long periods of boredom. The act of viewing TV 'fills' blocks of time that otherwise are often described as 'empty' (Cope 2003). There is, however, a paradox.…”

Social and environmental factors influencing in‐prison drug use

“…This was reiterated by Stover and Weilandt (2007) and Cope (2003) who both highlighted that prisoners often use drugs to counteract boredom or to 'slip away' from the realities of prison life. Second, drug use can be used to pass the time.…”

“…Second, drug use can be used to pass the time. Cope (2003) demonstrated how young offenders often manipulated their perception of time in prison through using different types of substances. Smoking cannabis, for example, could make 'time fly' in prison, whereas cocaine was often avoided because of the brief high and its addictive qualities (Cope, 2000).…”

Drugs and discretionary power in prisons: The officer's perspective

“…Also, drug dealing can be part of the inmates' attempt to build personal respect and reputation (Crewe 2006(Crewe , 2009. Studies show that drugs are used strategically by inmates as a kind of self-medication, as a way to cope with imprisonment, and as a means of relieving insomnia and boredom (Boys et al 2002;Swann and James, 1998;Cope, 2003;Ritter et al, 2013;Keene, 1997). Almost no studies, however, have focussed on the experiences and role of prison officers in relation to inmates' drug use (Ritter et al 2013, Carlin 2005.…”