by SHARON DOLOVICH

The prison is the centerpiece of American criminal justice policy. But in the United States today, incarceration is more than just a mode of criminal punishment. It is a distinct cultural practice with its own aesthetic and technique, a practice that has emerged in recent decades as a catch-all mechanism for managing social ills. The aesthetic of incarceration—orange jumpsuits, cell blocks, bars, barbed wire—has become a cultural referent so familiar it may be readily exploited for political and even comedic purposes. As for the technique definitive of the practice, although perhaps less widely recognized, its key features have become the default way for maintaining custodial control over imprisoned populations: greatly restricted movement; limited media access to the facility; strict limits on visits and communication with family and friends on the outside; minimal access to or control over personal effects; a lack of privacy vis-`a-vis staff or other prisoners; limited access to meaningful work, education, or other programming;  little if any concern for the self-respect of the incarcerated; an “us” versus “them” dynamic between the incarcerated and custodial staff; and increased reliance on solitary confinement for the purpose of punishment or control.

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