"(Gambetta dryly notes that many of these strategies work in another environment with a stable population and forced attendance: school.)"<p>Indeed. I think economist David Friedman noted in one of his books that posting as a tough guy is a good social strategy in school just as it is in prison, but is often a poor social strategy in environments of free association.
Anyone have good game theory book recommendations? This book was enjoyable, although it dragged here and there:<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Prisoners-Dilemma-William-Poundstone/dp/038541580X" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Prisoners-Dilemma-William-Poundstone/d...</a>
Link to the Juzo Itami movie mentioned in the article (requires registration)<p><a href="http://www.surrealmoviez.info/readarticle.php?article_id=16927" rel="nofollow">http://www.surrealmoviez.info/readarticle.php?article_id=169...</a>
The idea that facial tattoos mean "this person expects to spend his life in prison" is ridiculous. I know a dozen programmers with neck and facial tattoos, one of whom is also a VC-funded entrepreneur in Seattle. I bet the closest any of them have gotten to prison is in a video game.