One of the consequences of the modernization process occurred during the first quarter of the 20th Century was the strengthening of the means used for the repression of crime. Under the slogan of fighting crime, a series of measures were also taken to repress those who did not respond to the work ethics or the political behavior expected by the ruling class and the media they would control. This article proposes that by conducting a historical analysis of Hijo de ladrón, Manuel Rojas'iconic novel, we can have access to the representations of the criminal as well as the prison experience lived by the poor in the city, within the context of the modernizing offensive launched by the state apparatus.