Analyzing social ties in total institutions

Abstract

A common view is that an individual delinquent can be rehabilitated in a "home" in the countryside, away from his or her original urban social ties. An ironic result is new social ties with other juvenile delinquents as they spend a considerable amount of time together at a secluded institution. Drawing on ethnographic studies in residential care institutions, this article discusses two aspects to consider when analyzing social ties in such settings: the institutional prerequisites for and the everyday achievement of isolation and intimacy. © 2012 QSR. Volume VIII Issue 2.