Doctoral Dissertation Research: The interactions of geography and social groups in the historical processes of emplacing sites of incarceration

Modern day incarceration is a product of historical patterns of geography and complex social structures often spanning decades or even centuries. This doctoral dissertation research examines how deep historical contexts contributed to the development of a modern-day prison system. The project investigates patterns of social groups and migration through a case study spanning multiple centuries including an analysis of the legal frameworks, economic processes, and place-based cultural structures.

Prison complexes are often located in rural areas formerly used for agricultural land uses and embedded in regions with complex cultural histories. This project investigates how the development of localized prison complexes involves a disruption of existing cultural traditions seeking to understand diverse implications for future socio-economic change.

This project uses a combination of archival resources and interviews to understand how present-day prisons are embedded in regions with complex historical contexts. The project utilizes a case study approach to investigate: (1) how minoritized groups were embedded in historical legal frameworks related to incarceration, (2) the role of private prisons in geographies of incarceration, and (3) how natural, built, and human systems are modified through the development of prison infrastructure.

Archival data sources are coded in using MAXQDA software to identify code patterns that correspond to core research questions. To analyze the legal dataset a chronological timeline of law and legal decisions, including policy and relevant case law, is derived from archival and interview data sources. Legal developments relevant to the site are tracked over time.

Legal texts and interview data are coded using a priori and post various semantic terms to identify consistent and inconsistent patterns across disparate data sources. Research findings are shared with local communities and decision-makers, and analytical tools developed will be incorporated into university curricula.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.