6. Criminal subculture and deviant behavior

Along with the legal and directly mediated factors of social exclusion, the emergence of deviant behavior in special educational and correctional institutions is influenced by the norms, rules, traditions and other attributes of the criminal environment, which have been called the criminal subculture. The criminal subculture, by its rules and "laws", very strictly regulates interpersonal and intergroup relations and can directly dictate to a minor certain types of deviant behavior in a given situation. At the same time, these norms and “laws” can act not directly, but indirectly, creating situations in which a minor is “free” to choose one or another type of deviant behavior.
The essence, content, functions, attributes of the criminal subculture are described in detail and comprehensively by us in a number of works, to which we refer readers1. Here we consider only the relationship of individual rules of the criminal subculture with various types of deviant behavior of minors in places of social exclusion.
As it is known, in the criminal subculture there are a number of directions depending on what “laws” and rules are followed by one or another adolescent-youth group. So, they single out: the traditional groups of “thieves in law”, in which the “laws” of group morality are most clearly formulated; the so-called spontaneous criminal groups, which do not have such clear rules and "laws" of interpersonal and intergroup interaction (they sometimes have side by side the rules of the youth subculture and some separate thieves "laws"); groups of off-border criminals who are not burdened by any rules of interpersonal and intergroup interaction (they are barely ruled by a ball, the kulak is the law) and, finally, so-called civilized groups seeking to demonstrate their democracy, and this is what appeals to young people.
From the variety of rules and norms, traditions and attributes that affect the deviant behavior of minors, we chose to analyze those found in almost all criminal groups. So, to persons finding
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1 See: Pirozhkov V.F. Criminal subculture of students - teenagers and young men. Diss. in the form of teach a report on the competition. uch. step. Dr. psychol. sciences. M .: MPGU them. V.I. Lenina, 1992; his own: The laws of the underworld of youth. Criminal subculture. Monograph. M., 1992; his own Psychological basis of re-education of students of special vocational schools. Monograph. M .: Legal literature, 1988; his own Corrective labor psychology. Textbook. M .: Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR, 1975 (co-author); Psychological foundations of the re-education of convicts in the WTC. Tutorial. M .: Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR, 1979; his own The impact of social exclusion in the form of imprisonment on the psychology of the convict. Issues of combating crime. M., 1981, vol. 35
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we are in isolation, tend to shy away from labor at work, from self-service work. The members of the “thief groups” this evasion from labor is “sanctified” by the “thieves' law”, according to which the “thief” has no right to work (otherwise he is deprived of the status of “thief”), since he must earn food and livelihood . Naturally, this "law" is not fixed for any member of the group. Especially "thieves" avoid household and other "dirty" self-service work, for which they must have a servant - the "six".
In the event of a violation of this rule, a minor member of a thieving group must publicly declare his “withdrawal from the law” or give consent to “undergo a cleansing”. The exit "from the law" leads to the loss of high status and those privileges that a member of the thieving group possessed in places of isolation, which is not very desirable to lose. And the procedure of “cleansing” is very cruel, few are able to withstand it, and it is very difficult for a “thief” to “tarnish” the thief “to crawl up the steps of the group hierarchy”.
Therefore, minors from these groups see one way out - openly or covertly evading work. In the past, such groups have openly declared to the administrations that, according to their "ideological" considerations and principles, they will not work. At present, minors are less likely to use open evasion, and more often they resort to the simulation and aggravation of diseases, self-mutilation, and violations of the regime for which they can be placed in a disciplinary isolator, just so as not to work. When they are forcibly taken to production, they do not work, although the development plan for them is fulfilled. They win this plan in cards, force the "lower classes" to give them a part of their output, resort to other methods of racketeering in production, collect a "tax" from the weak and newcomers for patronage.
For minors from thieving groups, and after them for members of other groups, it has become the norm to evade economic and various “dirty work” on self-service. Such works primarily include cleaning the toilet, cleaning vegetables in the dining room, washing floors, washing clothes and especially socks, cleaning the bed, etc. To do household and "dirty work" until filling up their bed, they "hire" other minors from among weak, downtrodden, deprived of legitimate food, or coerced to losers who have been sexually abused. From this analysis it is clear that the very avoidance of work is a serious violation of the regime and deviant behavior, which inevitably entails other types of offenses on the part of the worker who evaded working: racketeering at work, gambling, simulation and aggravation of diseases, oppression of the weak and defenseless. In turn, victims of coercion resort to other types of deviant behavior: escapes (unauthorized withdrawals from the institution), simulations and aggravation of diseases, and often self-harm. The same can be found in other criminal groups, in which evasion, although not elevated to the rank of "law", but no one wants to work, and many people want to use the fruits of the labor of others.
Consider another "law" of the underworld - the division of criminals into warring factions on the principle of "own" - "alien". The essence of it is to protect "our own" in every possible way, to oppress and exploit "others". The appearance in the "zone" of hostile groups that adhere to different criminal values, norms, traditions, immediately leads to the emergence of the struggle for power. In the past, to avoid this, members of different groups (especially from among adults) were sent to serve their sentences in “their” colonies, i.e. each colony contained only one “suit”. In modern conditions, in connection with the activation of nationalism, this "law" was revived and used on a different - nationalistic basis. In the "zone", as in the usual army unit consisting of persons of different nationalities, representatives of the nationality that makes up the majority will dominate (these are “their own” and the rest are “alien”). At the same time, the struggle for power in the "zone" between representatives of different "suits" or groups that have arisen along ethnic lines is the cause of mass brawls and disobedience, resulting in grave consequences: oppression of the vanquished, their group escapes (unauthorized withdrawals). The vanquished resorted to self-harm, aggravations and disease simulations in order to at least temporarily escape the oppression of the victors. Massive fights and disobedience are usually accompanied by acts of mass vandalism, causing substantial material damage to the institution: they break windows, break doors and windows, destroy fences, lighting and communication systems, rob the honey-part, plunder products in the kitchen, etc. This is an incomplete list of the consequences of massive violations of the regime, fights between "their" and "strangers."
But even if representatives of only one grouping (“suit”) are present in this institution of social isolation, and there are no other hostile groups, this does not mean that this kind of deviant behavior like “yours” - “someone else's” will not take place here. Just in this case, another rule will act - the rule of group stratification.
This "law" strictly prescribes the division of minors into "castes", determines the position of each caste in the group hierarchy, its rights and obligations. At the same time, the “tops” (the criminal elite) have absolute power over others, standing at the lowest levels of the hierarchy, a whole set of privileges, and the “lower classes” have a dimensionless amount of duties, many of which are humiliating for the individual. Representatives of the “tops” and the nickname are more harmonious, more honorable, the place in the bedroom is the most convenient, they are given food first of all when distributing it in the dining room, and even better quality, they should personally look at your package or transfer and they will like it; if your beloved girlfriend who came to you on a date liked the “authority”, you must give it to him, etc. And the representative of the "lower classes" has other concerns: as if in time to do the work for his "chief" on cleaning the room, making the bed, cleaning his shoes, washing socks, etc.
Since the age-related adolescent aggression, reinforced and accumulated by the severity of social isolation, due to the lack of truly "alien" (representatives of the warring factions) is not enough, it will be discharged into "our own" for the time being referred to as "alien": lower levels of group hierarchy. And the result of these aggressive manifestations is the same as in the case of aggression against "true strangers": humiliation, oppression of the "lower classes", forcing them to do all the "dirty work", and in the case of disobedience (in practice this is rarely found only when the lower classes self-organize) - "omission" of the shrews, by means of sodomy, "waffle", "paraffin", "smoking of the penis" of the representative of the "elite". Only escapes, self-mutilation, simulations and aggravations of diseases remain humiliated and offended, so as to avoid at least temporarily violence and oppression from "their" top leaders.
Let us take one more of the “laws”, acting among not only “thieves”, but also any other criminal gangs of minors, as well as the army youth environment, the adolescent population of orphanages and boarding schools / - special conditions and the procedure for accepting newcomers, called “registration”, which has the functions: to study a novice, find out his strengths and weaknesses that compromise his circumstances and on this basis determine his status in the group and, accordingly, his rights, duties, etc. “Old-timers” (“grandfathers”) strive to humiliate novices by all means, subordinate them to their influence, underestimate their status and subject them to severe exploitation. Therefore, the “registration” turns into a harsh and cruel execution perpetrated on newcomers, and all valuables and products are requisitioned from them. In response, a reaction in the form of escapes (unauthorized withdrawals), self-mutilation, aggravations and disease simulations, etc. follows. It is not by chance that the majority of such types of deviant behavior, as noted above, falls on the adaptation period of stay of minors in places of social exclusion.
Consider another "law" - the law of God as the cause and condition for the emergence of deviant behavior in places of social exclusion. “Divine” in criminal jargon is giving a word, an oath. “Juvenile” is widespread among juvenile delinquents. At the same time, they strictly monitor the observance of the oath, demanding from the members of their community loyalty to the word given to them. The apostates, the violators of this word (in the criminal jargon - “those who have become clever”) are severely punished. Minors are “afraid” for everything: for rations, for a package, transfer, for money, for themselves, etc. And so the oath sounds: "I will rest upon myself," "I will rest upon rations," "I will be a cop," "You will not see the Age of Freedom," etc.
In order to avoid reprisals, “those who have become accustomed” make escapes, serious crimes, self-harm, in order to “hide” from this institution and not be subjected to harsh and cruel sanctions by accomplices.
Failure to comply with the rules of gambling, which consists in the late payment of losses, leads to similar consequences. It is not by chance that the rules of gambling and "gods" are considered the most effective causes and conditions for the emergence of deviant behavior in educational colonies and special educational institutions. This also includes the rule of timely debt repayment. Debt may arise in the case of taking a "loan" from the "common pot" (common cash). The rules of returning debt are harsh: I took it on time - return it in time. I did not return - the creditor immediately "turns on the meter", which he publicly announces to the debtor. The “counter” is inexorable: the debt is doubled daily, and if there are no sources of its repayment and the ability to stop the “counter”, then there remains - an escape, any daring robbery, robbery, theft, in order to get money to pay the debt. It is impossible to simply hide from the "counter", the debtor will be searched for distant lands - in another colony, in another special technical university and they will deal with it sternly. Dislike of insolvent debtors, violators of this word among juvenile offenders is built into an immutable rule and is strictly observed. It is thanks to this rule that huge sums of money are accumulated in the general box office.
A number of types of deviant behavior are caused by the action of the socio-psychological mechanisms of rallying and functioning of criminal groups, joint leisure activities, which allow minors to disconnect from the social isolation, “relax”, experience “high”, “have a good rest”. But the use of these funds is usually carried out not alone, but in a group, which leads to its consolidation on the basis of not criminal, but specific pre-Sug activity. These types of deviant behavior include group use of intoxicating substances. Indeed, for a number of reasons, it is simply impossible to use intoxicants (alcohol, toxic substances, chifir, drugs) alone in the “zone”: firstly, it is difficult to get them alone, secondly, it is impossible to store them alone, thirdly, it is impossible to create an environment for their use alone, fourthly, it is terrible for a beginner to go on such consumption alone (for example, for the first time to give yourself an injection with "drugs"). Therefore, in the "zone" alcohol, toxic substances, chifir, drugs become an important group-forming factor, and groups that have emerged on the basis of their use are distinguished not only by great cohesion, but also by strict corporatism and conspiracy. Sources, ways of getting intoxicants, money for their purchase are kept in strict confidence. Conspiracy is becoming an important means of rallying such groups. At the same time, the use of intoxicants is also consecrated by the "laws" of the underworld. Getting even into unfamiliar environment in the “zone”, alcoholics, drug addicts, chifirists, drug addicts, by their only well-known signs, quickly establish contacts with their fellows.
And finally, let's touch on another “law” of the criminal subculture; directly affecting the occurrence of deviant behaviors. This is a widespread prevalence among tattoo criminogenic adolescents. In places of social isolation, the problem of tattooing becomes a serious violation of the regime. Tattooing is not pampering, not a whim of a minor, but a strict rule of the criminal environment. What is a tattoo? Its functions are numerous: artistic, humorous, status-stigmatization, prison, mythological, sexually-pornographic, personal and institutional, etc. But still, the tattoo is not primarily a decoration, but a status mark of distinction so that one can see “who is who” and distinguish the “elite” from the “bottom” in order to know what can be expected from whom, and to whom. relate. The tattoo emphasizes the superiority of some and the inferiority, the humiliation of the position of others. A prestigious tattoo is applied naturally, of course, voluntarily (for example, a tattoo of “authority”, “thief in law”, etc.), and other tattoos - by duty or even coercively, forcibly (so-called “hangers”). Branding is subjected (in the form of points, special marks and obscene drawings) primarily to passive homosexuals, persons who are seen in the denunciations (“snitchers”), their thefts, “winners”, debtors, etc. Artistic, humorous, mythological tattoos are voluntarily applied by tattoo, and the rest by status. The process of tattooing, as a rule, is a group process. Often, tattooing as a form of deviant behavior takes on the character of a real epidemic. In the "zone" begin to "prick" everything. Why "prick" in the group? First, it is interesting; secondly, it is easier to find or manufacture tools together, to find dyes; thirdly, in the group there is always someone who draws better (his own artist); fourthly, it is difficult and sometimes impossible for one to apply tattoos on the rear parts of the body;fifth, it is harder for one to endure the pain during tattooing, and in the state of group excitement it is more easily tolerated; sixthly, in the group, the danger of unpleasant consequences from applied tattoos in the form of skin diseases, infections, blood, etc. is more easily overcome. Therefore, each "zone" has its own "artists" in the drawings and the creation of a "cliché", a tattoo artist. According to these drawings and cliches, it is possible to establish precisely that “zone” where the minor was serving a sentence or was on forced re-education. On the picture
In fig.12.1 the most typical types of tattoos are presented: a - road to the zone (special school); b - I was then 16 years old; in - was in special vocational school (special school); d - the freedom of the youngster.

Fig.12.1


Applying tattoos is not only an independent type of deviant behavior, but also generates an avalanche of other types of such behavior. For example, at liberty to one of the minors, not familiar with the content and functions of the applied drawings, a hive and a swarm of bees were painted on the buttocks (Fig. 12.2). When he arrived in the "zone", this tattoo was discovered at the first bath in the bath. In the evening, he was gang-raped, because a hive with a swarm of bees means that the person is a passive homosexual.
For applied tattoos, especially artistic, humorous, mythological content must be paid, and the fee is charged depending on the area and complexity of the printed image. So a minor can get into the debtors of the master, and in case of delay in payment of the debt, he will be put on the counter, and then inflicted with shameful stigma.
It happens that by mistake (and often deliberately and deliberately) some minors, by tattooing themselves, inflate their status. In this case, should be severe disassembly and cruel punishment of the perpetrator, and the tattoo is subjected to forced removal. All this leads to the same consequences: runaways, self-harm, etc.


Fig. 12.2

Findings:
1. An important reason and condition for the occurrence of deviant behavior of minors in the “zone” are “laws”, rules, norms and traditions of the criminal world in the form of a criminal subculture. In the criminal communities of minors with different sets of values ​​and norms, there are a number of similar rules, “laws” that dictate certain types of deviant behavior.
2. These rules include: evasion from productive labor and self-service labor, chores; the “own” rule is “alien”, which dictates aggression against “alien”; the aggressive attitude of “their upper ranks” to “their lower ranks”; the aggression of the "grandfathers" ("old men") towards the newcomers (the "registration of" newcomers); "the law of gods"; "the law of fair playing cards; the law of the counter; the law of the common pot; the law of duty, etc.
3. A number of types of deviant behavior depends not only on the “laws” of the criminal subculture, but also due to the socio-psychological mechanisms of group interaction. This includes group use of all types of intoxicating substances.
4. A brief analysis shows that the prevention of deviant behavior and offenses by people in the “zone” should be started with the prevention of manifestations of the criminal subculture. If the “laws” of the criminal subculture prescribe a certain type of behavior to a minor, then he will inevitably act in accordance with this prescription, whatever control it may be.