Understanding Imprisonment Through the Lens of Social Exclusion: A Novel Integrative Theoretical Model

Abstract

This paper frames imprisonment as a form of chronic social exclusion and analyzes its impact on prisoners’ well-being, reactions, recidivism and rehabilitation. Drawing from the Temporal Need-Threat Model of Ostracism, the Multimotive Model of Interpersonal Rejection, and the literature on imprisonment, it proposes an integrative theoretical model describing the psychological and behavioral dynamics of prison life. The analysis focuses on how imprisonment disrupts fundamental human needs, and how prisoners’ appraisals of incarceration influence their antisocial, prosocial, or withdrawal responses. The model emphasizes the importance of fostering prisoners’ social connections, to promote well-being and rehabilitation. The integrative approach provides a comprehensive understanding of the prison experience and highlights the need for empirical research to inform interventions that support its rehabilitative goals.