Published September 30, 2019 | Version v1
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A qualitative study on the self-legitimacy of prison workers in Slovenian prisons

Authors/Creators

  • 1. University of Maribor

Description

Prison represents a society within society consisting of entities who operate in a given area, in which various forms of social relations are established, depending on the recognition of legitimacy. Building legitimacy in a prison, as a specific form of social group, is a demanding process because it represents a structural and bureaucratically closed environment. It is self-evident that bearers of power seek recognition of their legitimacy from subjects over whom they exercise power. In the context of a prison, the prison workers hold the power and create a bond between the prisoners and the organisation, a fact that presents an important element of legitimacy. Building and maintaining legitimacy of the prison staff in relation to the audience (prisoners) is only possible when prison workers believe in the eligibility of their own ‘ruling’ — self-legitimacy.

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References

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