Gresham Sykes

Published in 1958, "The Society of Captives" analyzes the social order inside a maximum-security prison, specifically based on the New Jersey State Prison. Sykes argued that inmates suffer from a series of fundamental deprivations—often called the "pains of imprisonment"—that create a unique, highly structured subculture.

Gresham Sykes identified five core deprivations that incarcerated individuals face: the loss of liberty, the deprivation of goods and services, the frustration of heterosexual relationships, the loss of autonomy, and the loss of personal security. These deprivations form the basis of the institutional power dynamic between guards and prisoners.

Gresham M. Sykes was both a sociologist and a criminologist who pioneered the sociological study of prisons and delinquency. His academic career included teaching at institutions such as Princeton University and the University of Virginia.

Alongside his research on prisons, Sykes co-authored "Criminology" with David Matza, where they developed the techniques of neutralization. This theory explains how criminals rationalize their deviant behavior by temporarily suspending their personal moral obligations.