"All the Guys Pay": Perceptions of Collective Punishment in Carceral Spaces

• In Event: Living and Working Inside U.S. Prisons & Jails

Abstract

While the Geneva Convention forbids the use of collective punishment by any administrative or police action, cursory evidence suggest that such practices may, to varying degrees, occur in modern carceral spaces. Given the current state of these spaces across the U.S.—marred by stories of excessive use of force, physical and sexual abuse, prolonged placement in restrictive housing, and attendant lawsuits—as well as the strict power dynamic that exists between the confined and the confiner, it is possible that such practices exist in U.S. prisons and jails. To better understand the patterns of collective punishment as they occur in carceral spaces, we utilize qualitative interviews form 448 individuals incarcerated in 8 prisons and 3 jails across 6 U.S. states and an in-depth analysis. Our findings suggest that punishments in carceral settings often affect more than just the individual for whom the act is intended. Incarcerated individuals in our study also identify the ways in which collective punishments affect their (1) earned privileges and rights, (2) relationships and contact with their family, and (3) their long- and short-term physical health outcomes. The findings of this study highlight a need for an in-depth review of current prison punishment policies.

Authors

• Elisa Toman, Sam Houston State University

• Danielle S. Rudes, Sam Houston State University

• Wyatt Brown, Sam Houston State University

• Caitlin Bauer, Sam Houston State University