Doing a Bid: The Construction of Time as Punishment. (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Middlemass, Keesha M.; Smiley, CalvinJohn
• Is Part Of: Prison journal. Volume 96:Number 6(2016)
• Page Start: 793
• Page End: 813
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: the sociology of time -- the sociology of punishment -- memory -- "doing a bid"; Prisons -- Periodicals; Prisons -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 365.6
• DOI: 10.1177/0032885516671872
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-8855

Abstract

Juxtaposing the sociology of time with the sociological study of punishment, we interviewed 34 former inmates to explore their memories of how they constructed time while "doing a bid." Prison sentences convey macro-political and social messages, but time is experienced by individuals. Our qualitative data explore important theoretical connections between the sociology of time as a lived experience and the temporality of prison where time is punishment. The interview data explores the social construction of time, and our findings demonstrate participants' use of the language of time in three distinct ways: (a) routine time, (b) marked time, and (c) lost time.