GLOBAL INFORMAL PRISON SYSTEM
GLOBAL INFORMAL PRISON SYSTEM

Author(s): Mirko Goreta, Marko Marulić
Subject(s): Criminal Law, Social Theory, Criminology, Penology, Sociology of Law
Published by: CENTAR MODERNIH ZNANJA
Keywords: informal prison system; inmate governance; prison gangs; carceral hierarchies; state complicity; prison reform; human rights violations;
Summary/Abstract: In many parts of the world, formal prison institutions are paralleled by complex informal systems that operate beyond the reach of state regulation. These systems characterized by inmate-led governance, informal economies, and extralegal violence shape the daily life of incarcerated individuals and significantly influence the broader criminal justice landscape. This paper explores the global phenomenon of informal prison systems, examining their structures, causes, and consequences. Drawing from comparative case studies in countries such as Brazil, Russia, the United States, and the Philippines, it reveals how informal hierarchies emerge in response to institutional failures, overcrowding, and state neglect. Furthermore, it analyzes how these systems often result in severe human rights abuses and undermine efforts at rehabilitation. The paper integrates theoretical perspectives with empirical evidence, offering a multidimensional understanding of how informal power operates behind bars. Ultimately, it argues that addressing these systems requires not only prison reform, but also broader socio-political accountability and structural change.

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