Kristine Levan

Space, Time, and Reflexive Interviewing: Implications for Qualitative Research with Active, Incarcerated, and Former Criminal Offenders:

Space and time are concepts familiar to physicists, philosophers, and social scientists; they are operationalized with varying degrees of specificity but are both heralded as important to contextualizing research and understanding individual, cultural, and historical differences in perception and the social construction of reality. Space can range from, at the macro level, geographic region, to at the micro level, the immediate physical surroundings of an individual or group of persons. Similarly, a conceptualization of time can range from era or epoch to the passing of seconds and minutes within a situational dynamic of human interaction. In this article we examine the microcosmic end of the space-time spectrum, specifically as it relates to doing qualitative interviews with current or former criminal offenders. Through a comparative discussion of interviews with incarcerated, recently released, and active offenders, we pose questions and offer insights regarding how interviewers and interviewees perceive physical space and the passage of time and, most importantly, how these perceptions relate to the interview process and resulting data. Notably, we suggest that interviewer reflexivity should take into account not only the relationship, dialogue, and discourse between interviewer and interviewee but also space and time as perceived and constructed by both parties. Finally, we offer several key strategies for incorporating these considerations into the interviewer toolkit.

Pains of imprisonment in a “lock em’ up” video game: implications for a peacemaking discourse through new media experiences

Abstract A limited body of literature has explored popular media portrayals of the prison experience. Much of this literature has focussed on film and television. Scant literature has considered new forms of media such as video games’ portrayals of the prison experience. In the current inquiry we examine the computer simulation game, Prison Architect, with respect to how its interactive experience has the potential simultaneously portray and problematize pains of imprisonment, and how these portrayals and problematizations may prompt a public discourse surrounding prison, particularly from a peacemaking perspective, even if the game itself does not incorporate concepts such as restorative justice. To conduct this analysis, we examine game-developer video blogs that relayed information about the game as it was developed (e.g., game content, rationale for creation, and embedded political, social and philosophical orientations toward prisons, prisoners, and the prison-industrial complex). Ultimately we link pains of imprisonment in Prison Architect to the broader societal discourse surrounding rationales for incarceration (i.e., retribution, incapacitation, and rehabilitation) and consider implications for prison themed games, particularly those such as simulation games that afford players a broad degree of freedom, as vehicles through which to engage the public in discourse about prison that can adopt a more human-centered, peace-oriented approach.

Prison violence : causes, consequences and solutions

Contents: An introduction to prisons, punishment and prison violence Prison, by the numbers Prisons and prison violence in other countries Prison violence: explanations and theoretical underpinnings The effects of prison violence Challenges to understanding the problem What is being done? The long road ahead: the future of prison violence References Index.

Prevention of Crime and Delinquency

Abstract Crime prevention is the act of stopping or reducing criminal activities, by either known or unknown offenders. This article explores various aspects of crime prevention, including the theoretical basis, as well as efforts by various criminal justice agencies, including law enforcement and correctional systems. Specific areas of interest, including substance abuse prevention and the role of firearms in crime, are also addressed.

Irreversible Punishment: Teaching About Inequalities in Capital Punishment

Capital punishment is not equally distributed throughout the United States population. When committing comparable crimes, those who are the most at risk of receiving a death sentence are people of color (particularly African Americans), earn lower incomes, and are male. In addition to being tied to geographic location, the sanction is often tied to the quality of defense counsel. Although capital punishment is the ultimate penalty, it is also infrequently applied, so it is the punishment that most know little about. Students’ early exposure to capital punishment is often through the lens of the media. Here, I discuss pedagogical strategies and techniques to engage students on various perspectives and issues within the capital punishment system.

Virtual Total Control: Escaping a Simulated Prison

Previous studies have examined media portrayals of total control and institutionalization in prison, and a few studies have considered the connection between media portrayals and depictions of prison escape attempts. The current inquiry seeks to fill this gap in the literature through an autoethnographic case study of the video game The Escapists, in which players assume the role of an inmate whose ultimate goal is to escape prison amid an environment populated by other nonplayer character inmates and guards. In this inquiry, specific attention is paid to the player’s experiences as a subject of control from guards, inmates, surveillance systems, and the prison construct, and how these interactions contextualize and potentially motivate the player to attempt escape. Connections between virtual and real-world escape attempts are discussed. Conceptual and theoretical links between total control and interactive experiences of simulated prison life, as well as implications of this study, are examined.