UC Irvine Law Review

This Article discusses the self-regulation of social life by inmates inside a Venezuelan prison. I focus on the development and use of intragroup indigenous norms, and institutions and processes, to handle individual and collective disputes arising out of social interactions between inmates, including the adjudication and enforcement mechanisms that ensure the effectiveness of the system. This article contributes to the emerging literature on private governance vis-à-vis state regulation and the factors that contribute to foster law-abiding behavior among those who are routinely seen at odds with the official legal system.