Embodiment of Carceral Violence: Solitary confinement, Extreme Heat, and Self-Injury in Deep South Prisons Restricted; Files Only

Abstract

This dissertation integrates constructs and principles from ecosocial theory of disease distribution, carceral geography, and theories of dehumanization to examine how different forms of carceral violence, solitary confinement and extreme heat, become embodied to shape vulnerabilities to different manifestations of self-injury. Together, these studies build upon an emerging body of scholarship and draw attention to overlapping public health problems arising at the intersection of mass incarceration, an escalating overdose crisis, and environmental calamities due to anthropogenic climate change. 

Aim 1 explores possibility that power structures of dehumanization within spaces used for solitary confinement operate as a pathway of embodiment that increases vulnerability to self-injury among people with SMI, and calls attention to punishments, beyond social isolation, that prison staff inflict upon people in solitary confinement as mediating vulnerabilities to self-injury among people diagnosed with serious mental illnesses. 

Aim 2 qualitatively examines the lived-experiences of solitary confinement among formerly incarcerated people who use drugs to develop a constructivist-grounded theory of the potential mechanisms through which this carceral practice may create and shape vulnerability to drug-related overdose. 

Aim 3 is a longitudinal panel study that explores associations of extreme heat, solitary confinement, and an indicator of suicidality among incarcerated adult men in the Louisiana prison system. 

The knowledge generated from these studies bolsters a body of evidence connecting solitary confinement and extreme heat to psychological harm and self-injury, while bringing into focus distinct public health and human rights issues for future research, arising in the entanglements of mass incarceration, an escalating overdose crisis, and environmental calamities created by anthropogenic climate change. These studies shed light on several important avenues for applying ecosocial theory to expose and address the effects of carceral systems on health outcomes, at multiple social-ecological levels, to help convey the collateral calamities likely to arise from interplays between the climate crisis, overdose epidemic, and mass incarceration. 

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introductory Literature Review…………………………………………….1

Mass incarceration as a socio-structural driver of health inequities…………………..  1

Defining carceral violence …………………………………………………………………………….  5

Solitary Confinement in the mass incarceration era…………………..…………………..    8

People in solitary confinement. ……………………………………………………………………   10

Brief history of Solitary Confinement ……………………………………………………………   12

Estimated Prevalence of solitary confinement today…………………..…………………..   19

The health consequences of solitary confinement…………………..……………………….   21  

Solitary Confinement, Self-injury, and Suicidality …………………..…………………..…   25

Connecting solitary confinement and overdose …………………..…………………..……..   32

Solitary confinement as state-sanctioned violence…………………..…………………..…..  35

Momentum for reform and calls for abolition …………………..…………………..………..  36

Extreme heat as a form of carceral violence …………………..…………………..……………  38

Theoretical framework …………………..…………………..…………………………………………. 43 

Recap of Study Aims …………………..…………………..……………………………………………. 55

References …………………..…………………..………………………………………………………….. 56

Chapter 2. Self-injury and the embodiment of solitary confinement among adult men in Louisiana prisons

Abstract…………………..…………………..………………………………………………………………. 105

Introduction …………………..…………………..………………………………………………………… 106

Methods   …………………..…………………..…………………………………………………………….. 122

Results …………………..…………………..………………………………………………………………… 128

Discussion …………………..…………………..……………………………………………………………..131

Figures and Tables…………………..…………………..………………………………………………… 137

References …………………..…………………..……………………………………………………………141

Chapter 3. Deep End of the Drug War: Solitary Confinement and Overdose Among Formerly Incarcerated People.

Abstract…………………..…………………..………………………………………………………………. 152

Introduction …………………..…………………..………………………………………………………… 153

Methods   …………………..…………………..…………………………………………………………….. 162

Results …………………..…………………..………………………………………………………………… 165

Discussion …………………..…………………..……………………………………………………………..190

Figures and Tables…………………..…………………..………………………………………………… 195

References …………………..…………………..……………………………………………………………197

Chapter 4. Extreme Heat and Suicide Watch Incidents in a Deep South Prison System.

Abstract…………………..…………………..………………………………………………………………. 204

Introduction …………………..…………………..………………………………………………………… 205

Methods   …………………..…………………..…………………………………………………………….. 210

Results …………………..…………………..………………………………………………………………… 217

Discussion …………………..…………………..……………………………………………………………..219

Figures and Tables…………………..…………………..………………………………………………… 225

References …………………..…………………..……………………………………………………………229

Chapter 5. Summary and Conclusions

Summary of Findings…………………..…………………..……………………………………………..236

Future Research …………………..…………………..…………………………………………………… 242

Policy Implications   …………………..…………………..……………………………………………… 246

Conclusion…………………..…………………..…………………………………………………………….. 251

References …………………..…………………..…………………………………………………………… 253

List of Figures and Tables

Chapter 2. 

Table 1. Descriptive Statistics for Total Sample …………………..………………………………. 137

Table 2. Percentages and Mean Demographics, SMI status, Solitary Confinement, 

Cumulative Dehumanization, and Self-Injury for Total Sample………………………………138

Table 3. Bivariate and Multivariable Logistic Regression Results:  Focal Dependent Variable: Self-Injurious Behavior…………………..………………………………………………… 139

Table 4. Results of Mediation Models with Odds of Self-Injury as Focal Dependent Variable…………………..……………………………………………………………………………………. 140

Chapter 3.

Table 1. Study Sample Characteristics …………………..………………………………………. 195

Figure 1. The Embodiment of Solitary Confinement in Overdose Vulnerability…….196

Chapter 4.

Figure 1. Distribution of Suicide Watch Incidents in Louisiana Prisons……………………225

Figure 2. Distribution of estimated heat-index for the six state-operated 

Louisiana prisons for January 2015 – December 2017……………………………………………225

Table 1. Descriptive Statistics for Focal Variables and Co-Variates ………………………..  226

Table 2. Bi-Variate Associations with Suicide Watch Incidents Conditional Negative Binomial regression with fixed effects) ………………………………………………….……………..227

Table 3a. Results of Model 1 for Significant Predictors of Daily Suicide Watch Incidents in Louisiana State Operated Prisons (n=6): 2015-2017………………………………………. 228

Table 3b. Results of Model 2 for Significant Predictors of Daily Suicide Watch Incidents in Louisiana State Operated Prisons (n=6): 2015-2017………………………………………. 228

About this Dissertation

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Laney Graduate School
Department	Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
Degree	Ph.D.
Submission	Dissertation
Language	English
Research Field	Health Sciences, Public Health
Parola chiave	solitary confinement carceral violence mass incarceration
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Dr. Hannah L.F. Cooper, Emory University
Committee Members	Dr. Justin Hosbey, Emory University Dr. Brie Williams, University of California, San Francisco Dr. Regine Haardoerfer, Emory University

Ultima modifica

Primary PDF

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions
	File download under embargo until 22 May 2025	2023-05-03 10:26:22 -0400	File download under embargo until 22 May 2025

Supplemental Files

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions