The Power of Carceral Connectivity: Incarcerated Individuals’ Efforts to Communicate, Find Closeness, and Engage in Relationships with Their Loved Ones

Lindsay R. Smith

Advisor: Janani Umamaheswar, PhD, Department of Criminology, Law and Society

Committee Members: Yasemin Irvin-Erickson, Sue-Ming Yang, Faye Taxman

Enterprise Hall, #318
April 04, 2025, 12:00 PM to 02:00 PM

Abstract:

Close to 11 million people are admitted to jails, and over 500,000 people are admitted to prisons in the United States (US) annually. Most people involved in the carceral system are men. Still, there is a rapidly increasing number of women and an unknown number of transgender people incarcerated as well. Of the numerous pains linked to incarceration that these individuals experience (e.g., loss of property, autonomy, and individuality), social isolation is particularly challenging. One way to reduce the pains caused by social isolation is carceral communication (i.e., contact with individuals who are outside of jails/prisons during one’s incarceration). Communication helps facilitate connections between incarcerated individuals and their loved ones, as well as maintain or repair relationships strained by confinement. In my dissertation, I propose the concept of carceral connectivity, defined as an incarcerated individual’s process of communicating to garner a sense of social connectedness for the purpose of re-establishing or sustaining relationships with their loved ones. To date, comparisons across individuals within a multi-gender sample have yet to be conducted, but individuals’ carceral connectivity experiences seem to vary by gender based on prior research focusing on the varying gender roles that individuals hold and attempt to keep even while incarcerated. Moreover, there is limited information on the experiences of transgender individuals who must navigate confinement uniquely in that they often face varying challenges while incarcerated that are directly related to their gender identity. Thus, transgender individuals’ efforts to feel supported through the carceral connectivity process may be different. In this study, I use semi-structured qualitative interviews to explore how gender shapes carceral communication patterns of incarcerated individuals, feelings of connectedness between individuals incarcerated in jail/prison and their loved ones, and individuals’ relationship maintenance efforts. Using a feminist framework, my project explores the gendered nature of carceral connectivity among women, transgender individuals, and men incarcerated within one jail and one prison in the US. This study can inform future correctional programming, adaptations to communication policies/procedures within carceral settings, and updates to communication technology based on incarcerated individuals’ perspectives.