Transformation Pathways: Community Organization Contrasts of Decarceral Well-being

• In Event: Resistance and Disruption II

Abstract

The “theory” of decarceral well-being is perhaps best operationalized through the Well-Being Development Model (WBDM) and "Smart Decarceration" frameworks. Smart Decarceration is an approach to criminal justice reform that shifts focus away from solely reducing recidivism to actively promoting the holistic well-being of individuals, families, and communities impacted by the criminal legal system. It posits that to successfully reduce reliance on mass incarceration, society must replace deficit-centered punitive approaches with support systems that build positive well-being. Decarceral well-being is often contrasted with the deprivation model, which argues that the harsh conditions of prison themselves create poor outcomes. Instead, the theory suggests that normalizing the environment—even within carceral settings—through education and therapeutic programming (such as inside-out classes) can improve outcomes. Yet far too little is known about the role of community organizations of various kinds, regions, missions and affiliations, and how different types of organizations can contribute to the Decarceral mission effectively. What is needed is a case study contrast of distinct organizations operating within the Decarceral sphere. Decarceration has abolitionist linkages that are a profound continuum, and that domain-specific specification and contrasting clarification is a helpful next step in actualizing its potential for realizing a world without prisons.

Author

• Townsand Price-Spratlen, The Ohio State University