“Support Our POWs”: An Online Forum for White Supremacists behind Bars

• In Event: The Power of Threats: Language, Violent Extremist Networks, and Political Violence

Abstract

White supremacist violent extremism is a significant and growing threat in the United States. Researchers have pointed to cases of white supremacist groups reaching out to members and potential recruits who are incarcerated, and many studies have examined white supremacists' use of online spaces. This study is the first I am aware of which specifically focuses on the nature of the online relationship between imprisoned white supremacists and their outside supporters. I did this through an exploratory qualitative study of an online white supremacist forum focused on communications between incarcerated group members and non-incarcerated group members. Data consisted of 331 forum posts across forty-five threads from 2009 to 2024. Thematic analyses showed that incarcerated group members used this forum to garner support, to stay involved in their movement, and to discuss their thoughts on incarceration. Implications for internet use in correctional settings and potential directions for future research are discussed.

Author

• Isaac Moelter, University of Nebraska Omaha / NCITE