Controlled Invisibility: Public Narratives of Formerly Incarcerated People

• In Event: Media and Narratives on Punitiveness and Marginalization

Abstract

This study examines China’s state-controlled public discourse on formerly incarcerated individuals from 1978 to 2024, highlighting shifts in representation and social discussions. Unlike the United States, China does not regularly publish crime or recidivism statistics, and public discourse on reentry remains scarce. Using a dataset of over 1,600 articles analyzed through NVivo 14, this research traces how state rhetoric has shifted over time. Through content analysis of "People’s Daily" and "Guangming Daily," two major state-controlled newspapers, this research reveals a transformation in the portrayal of formerly incarcerated individuals: from stigmatization to objectification. This shift reflects broader trends in crime policy and state ideology, which we term “controlled invisibility,” wherein the absence of discourse is an intentional outcome rather than a passive occurrence. By assessing how China’s government frames issues of crime, reintegration, and recidivism, this study offers a novel perspective on the intersection of state control, propaganda, and social reintegration. First, it systematically analyzes public narratives on formerly incarcerated individuals, an area largely unexplored in existing research. Second, it expands the scope of reentry studies beyond Western contexts, addressing China’s unique penal practices. Given China’s opacity regarding legal and political matters, examining state-controlled narratives provides critical insights into hidden social realities.

Authors

• Dixin Li, University of Maryland

• Guyu Sun, University of Maryland, College Park