The hidden subsidies of rural prisons: Race, space and the politics of cumulative disadvantage

This paper links the rise of a punitive punishment regime that disproportionately targets poor, urban minorities and the increasing use of rural spaces to warehouse prisoners. Preliminary evidence from a unique dataset across three states suggests that housing large, institutionalized prison populat...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Walker, Hannah L. (Author) ; Thorpe, Rebecca U. (Author) ; Anderson, John-Paul (Author) ; Christensen, Emily K. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2017
In: Punishment & society
Year: 2017, Volume: 19, Issue: 4, Pages: 393-416
Online Access: Volltext (Resolving-System)
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Keywords:
Criminal Justice
Political Economy
Rural prisons
Description
Summary:This paper links the rise of a punitive punishment regime that disproportionately targets poor, urban minorities and the increasing use of rural spaces to warehouse prisoners. Preliminary evidence from a unique dataset across three states suggests that housing large, institutionalized prison populations inflates population counts in otherwise shrinking rural areas and operates as a hidden subsidy for rural counties with prison infrastructure. Prisons contribute to the immediate economic viability of predominantly white, lower class rural areas, despite devastating costs borne elsewhere.
ISSN:1741-3095
DOI:10.1177/1462474516660694