Yet Unrealized Potential: Inequalities in Access, Progams, and Services via Electronic Tablets in U.S. Prisons and Jails

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

Abstract

The incorporation of electronic tablets into the American prison system marks a transformative moment in the contemporary correctional experience. The swift adoption of this technology occurred despite a lack of robust research to validate effectiveness and utility. The implementation and related policies vary significantly within systems, facilities, and units. Nonetheless, because of tablets, many carceral residents have access to previously limited resources. While beneficial in many regards, the decision to introduce them was heavily influenced by several elements including potential financial gains. As such, the implications of tablets on carceral residents and their often financially-challenged supporters warrants study.
Analysis of interviews with 448 residents and 145 staff living and working in eight prisons and three jails within the U.S suggests a concerning disparity in the benefits of tablet use. Moreover, in settings where tablets are communal, residents who occupy lower social positions consistently face limited tablet access. This pattern mirrors structural inequalities present in broader society. Findings suggest that while tablets benefit individuals via access to phone calls, email, music, movies, and education, their full potential remains limited by current policies/practices and by profit motives. An expansion of tablet benefits requires equitable accessibility and more no-cost apps, programs, and services.

Authors

• Wyatt Brown, Sam Houston State University

• Elisa Toman, Sam Houston State University

• Danielle S. Rudes, Sam Houston State University

• Caitlin Bauer, Sam Houston State University

• Sydney Ingel, George Mason University