The living conditions of the prisoners of the Oukacha prison institution in Casablanca and their modes of adaptation

Abstract

The objective of this research is to know the prisoners’ living conditions and how they adapt to this context. For this, a qualitative survey based on semi-structured interviews was carried out directly with 20 ex-convicts of the Oukacha penitentiary institution introduced through the intermediary of the source persons. It emerges from my analyzes that, despite the change that Oukacha prison institution underwent regarding the decentralization of power and openness to the outside world, it remains an institution of a totalitarian nature which deprives prisoners of their legitimate rights, especially with the prevailing overcrowding. These harsh living conditions force the various types of prisoners to opt either for coping or resistance strategies that suit them best to reduce their suffering.