Total Institutions Essay -- essays research papers

Total Institutions     In the year 1961, the informant, Erving Goffman, published a passwordconsisting of text and studies on mental patients and inmates, in what he hasc alled total institutions. in that location is a large focus on the purport of mentalpatients, referable to his year long study in an Ameri fecal matter institution. However, thecenter of my narration was based on the institutions and the lifestyles thatare r individuallyed when hindquartersd in such establishments.     When describing these institutions the author referred to them assegregated communities. This is exactly what they are. One is cut off fromthe remote society, with little or no march at all until the inmates stay isover. The character of these institutions is whiz that is an intimidatingbarrier to the outside populace. One whos barriers could be as simple as afence or a locked door, but as distinct and scary as the mellow walls, thick barsand razo r wire topped, electrically protected fences of todays toppenitentiaries. Every institution provides a new world to its members, inmost successful cases, changing the perception and reality of the inmate.      through the years of research conducted by the author, Goffmanconcluded that the total institutions in our societies division into fiverough classifyings. There is room to expand on each one of these groupings asthese findings are not precise, interpretation is the key when classifying theestablishments. His set-back conclusion was to classify all institutions that wereestablished to care for people who were incompetent and harmless tothemselves and one another. One may relate to these institutions as themay be part of our lives on a daily basis. This may be the nursing homewhere the elderly, widow/widowed grandmother/father is breathing out his lastfine days on this earth. It could be one of the less than desirable childrearing homes, such as an orph anage. Or this category may also includewhere the unfortunate, the wanderer, and the vagrant all congregate, ournations stateless shelters. Whatever the institution may be, it is defined bya place where one may go to receive treatment, nourishment and attentionwhen there may be no other opportunity afforded them.     The second of these groupings, encompasses all of the institutionsthat care for people who are inca... ...s schedules are all imposed by the officials that run theinstitution. The goals of the institution are fulfilled by these schedules andthe tasks that are sinless by the inmates, whether it may be a workservice conclave maintaining the grounds or by a janitorial staff maintaining theinterior. Even though these institutions are similar in many instances toothers, the do however arrest more contact with the outside world and rely onthat contact to enhance its abilities to rehabilitate.     Total institutions are ones that wi ll take away and personal identity and not askquestions. One where inmates are moved as managed group and looked downupon as secretive and bitter. Treating one like they are substandard and, guiltyand weak is no way to re-establish someones life and return them to theworld. Total institutions are incompatible with family , which is one of thestrongest values that we indispensableness to maintain in this disintegrating worldenvironment. We need to embrace family and do what we can to maintain ournatural family values all throughout our travels and daily life.1961 erving goffmanasylums essays on the social situation of mental patients and other inmates