''You just gotta be careful with your banter'': The functions, risks and boundaries of humour on prison wings in England and Ireland

Abstract

Humour is evident in many accounts of prison life and research, however little dedicated attention has been given to its functions, or the challenges it presents within this environment. Drawing on research with men imprisoned in England and the Republic of Ireland, where humour was a theme in participants’ discussions of community in prison, this article explores the roles of humour in prison on an individual, relational and collective level. It is argued that humour not only serves as a resource for adaptation, navigating relationships and cultivating community, but can also have significant consequences, with the power disparities of imprisonment making humour risky and potentially damaging for those involved in, or the subject of, humorous exchanges.