Experiencing the digitalized prison

Korte inhoud:This article examines the impact of the implementation of the digital platform PrisonCloud on daily life in prison. By enabling 24/7 two-way communication between incarcerated individuals, internal services, and external contacts, PrisonCloud has reshaped prison interactions and influenced relational dynamics. Drawing on ethnographic research in a Belgian prison, including observations and interviews, and applying Crewe’s framework of depth, weight, and tightness, this study demonstrates the impact of digitalization on the prison experience of incarcerated individuals. It is shown that factors such as equal access policies, individual social needs, the type of detention regime (open or closed), and structural inequalities (e.g. language barriers, financial dependence, limited access to prison work) shape individuals’ experiences of “weight” and “tightness” in a digitalized detention environment. We highlight the paradoxical effects of prison digitalization, simultaneously deepening and flattening the prison experience on informational, social, and recreational levels. While the platform has increased the imprisoned people's autonomy, it also introduced new forms of exclusion and control for staff. Moreover, the newfound autonomy that the platform granted to incarcerated individuals is challenging the traditional authority of prison staff, reshaping power dynamics behind bars. We argue that the impact of digital platforms on life in prison is not straightforward but layered and contingent. Digitalization in prison has the potential to both mitigate and intensify aspects of confinement, depending on the complex interactions between technology, people, and the institutional context.

Jaar van publicatie:2025

Trefwoorden:Digitalization, Prison, Experiences, law

Toegankelijkheid:Open

Reviewstatus:Peerreview