Of 290 surveys made available to inmates, 132 were completed, for a response rate of 46 percent; 15 respondents were women, and the remaining 117 respondents were men. The following variables were assessed using a combination of open-ended and closed-ended questions in a 55-item survey: Organizational Structure and Prisonization Scale, information seeking, external communication, social skills, and demographics. Although findings supported links between prisonization, amount of internal and external communication, and powerlessness, inmate prisonization was not related to social skills. The assimilation of inmates into the prison culture was influenced by intra- and extra-prison variables. Study limitations are noted, and further research is recommended to determine how inmate assimilation and communication influence such important processes as rehabilitation and recidivism. 48 references, 2 notes, and 2 tables