custodialism

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noun

An approach to caring for people in institutions which emphasizes supervision and control over the inmate's environment and access to resources.

Scrabble 17

Meanings

nouncustodialism (usually uncountable, plural custodialisms)

plural custodialisms

  1. uncountableusuallyAn approach to caring for people in institutions which emphasizes supervision and control over the inmate's environment and access to resources.

    The moral imbecility concept also encouraged custodialism.

    1997, Nicole Hahn Rafter, Creating Born Criminals, →ISBN, page 66
    4 more examples

    The large VA hospital, T, was considered intermediate or transitional in that it was in process of fairly rapid change away from custodialism.

    1970, Henry Wechsler, Leonard Solomon, Bernard M. Kramer, Social psychology and mental health, page 583

    Although there is much difference of opinion among gerontologits on the use of institutions, assaults are now appearing from new directions, and some of the basic assumptions and practices of custodialism are being challenged.

    1978, Mildred M. Seltzer, Sherry L. Corbett, Robert C. Atchley, Social problems of the aging, page 207

    Opposition to custodialism took many forms, both inside and outside the institution, with some who challenged the role of the institution itself.

    1982, Steven H. Zarit, Readings in Aging and Death : Contemporary Perspectives, page 242

    It has been suggested that the major theoretical influence among nurses is the medical model, represented by offering medication and custodialisms.

    1993, Nursing Times, Nursing Mirror: NT - Volume 89, Issues 40-51, page 53

Origin

Cite this entry
APA

custodialism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/custodialism

MLA

“custodialism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/custodialism. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “custodialism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/custodialism.

Source: custodialism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.