Safety, security, and rehabilitation? An analysis of publication censorship practices and previously imprisoned individuals’ experiences in Illinois

Jones, Carileigh

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129227 Copy

Description

Title

Safety, security, and rehabilitation? An analysis of publication censorship practices and previously imprisoned individuals’ experiences in Illinois

Author(s)

Jones, Carileigh

Issue Date

2025-04-25

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Buford May, Reuben A.

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Mendenhall, Ruby

Committee Member(s)

• Marshall, Anna-Maria
• Smith II, Bobby J.

Department of Study

Sociology

Discipline

Sociology

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Prison
• Censorship
• Race

Abstract

Scholarly discourses surrounding publication censorship policies and practices have virtually ignored the voices of the imprisoned. While these discourses help us to understand, and critique, the idea that book censorship promotes rehabilitation, safety, and security, they offer top-down analysis, which take for granted the viewpoints and experiences of those who have been incarcerated. Departing from this line of thinking, my dissertation theorizes the censorship of reading material within U.S. prisons as a practice of carcerality, which not only defines and regulates the limits of what can be known and expressed, but may also be experienced by prisoners as control and surveillance of both the mind and body (Friedman, 2021). Located at the intersections of sociology, critical criminology, and carceral studies, this dissertation analyzes interviews, court case documents, and policy documents to place explanations of the purpose and goals of censorship from the perspective of prison officials, in conversation with the perceptions and experiences of those who have been incarcerated. I argue that centering the voices of the imprisoned when implementing and assessing censorship guidelines is crucial if the purpose of books, and prison reform more generally, is to improve the lives and experiences of the imprisoned. Taking their perspectives into account could 1) enhance policy work related to book censorship practices, 2) promote a level of agency in the lives of the imprisoned, and 3) reshape the ways we understand discipline and rehabilitation within and beyond prison walls.

Graduation Semester

2025-05

Type of Resource

Thesis

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129227

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2025 Carileigh Jones

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