In the past few decades, there has been a proliferation of supermax prisons and units across the nation, reflecting the increased use of administrative, isolated segregation. This proliferation is embedded within a broader shift in society towards more punitive measures of disciplining those people convicted of criminal offenses. The primary purpose of this thesis is to examine the proliferation of supermax confinement as a major component of the punitive shift. This is done primarily through the application of contemporary literature that focuses on the sociology of punishment theory. Another purpose of this thesis was to examine and describe the history and current status of supermax prisons and units. To accomplish this, secondary data sources were used to collect information about the various correctional institutions throughout the US that utilize this type of confinement. It was also the intent to see what aspects of supermax confinement need to be addressed further through research. As a result of this, a literature review is provided discussing what academic literature has provided thus far. The conclusions show that the punitive shift in society that brought about the use of supermax confinement resulted from a discontent with late modernity and is perpetuated through the cultural landscape that has thus far been created. Further findings showed that at least 37 states have at least one correctional facility that utilizes supermax confinement, which demonstrates that there has indeed been a movement towards the use of supermax confinement.
","abstract_html":"<p>In the past few decades, there has been a proliferation of supermax prisons and units across the nation, reflecting the increased use of administrative, isolated segregation. This proliferation is embedded within a broader shift in society towards more punitive measures of disciplining those people convicted of criminal offenses. The primary purpose of this thesis is to examine the proliferation of supermax confinement as a major component of the punitive shift. This is done primarily through the application of contemporary literature that focuses on the sociology of punishment theory. Another purpose of this thesis was to examine and describe the history and current status of supermax prisons and units. To accomplish this, secondary data sources were used to collect information about the various correctional institutions throughout the US that utilize this type of confinement. It was also the intent to see what aspects of supermax confinement need to be addressed further through research. As a result of this, a literature review is provided discussing what academic literature has provided thus far. The conclusions show that the punitive shift in society that brought about the use of supermax confinement resulted from a discontent with late modernity and is perpetuated through the cultural landscape that has thus far been created. Further findings showed that at least 37 states have at least one correctional facility that utilizes supermax confinement, which demonstrates that there has indeed been a movement towards the use of supermax confinement. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Baumgardner, Marisa M."],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Justice Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:13Z","subjects":["Administrative Segregation","Cultural Landscape","Late Modernity","Prisons","Supermax","Voyeuristic Mysticism","Criminology","Criminology and Criminal Justice"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2011 Marisa M. Baumgardner"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/46","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Baumgardner, Marisa M."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Justice Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Administrative Segregation","Cultural Landscape","Late Modernity","Prisons","Supermax","Voyeuristic Mysticism","Criminology","Criminology and Criminal Justice"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2011 Marisa M. 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To accomplish this, secondary data sources were used to collect information about the various correctional institutions throughout the US that utilize this type of confinement. It was also the intent to see what aspects of supermax confinement need to be addressed further through research. As a result of this, a literature review is provided discussing what academic literature has provided thus far. The conclusions show that the punitive shift in society that brought about the use of supermax confinement resulted from a discontent with late modernity and is perpetuated through the cultural landscape that has thus far been created. Further findings showed that at least 37 states have at least one correctional facility that utilizes supermax confinement, which demonstrates that there has indeed been a movement towards the use of supermax confinement.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Supermax Confinement: A Descriptive and Theoretical Inquiry"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Baumgardner, Marisa M."],"dc:description.abstract":["In the past few decades, there has been a proliferation of supermax prisons and units across the nation, reflecting the increased use of administrative, isolated segregation. This proliferation is embedded within a broader shift in society towards more punitive measures of disciplining those people convicted of criminal offenses. The primary purpose of this thesis is to examine the proliferation of supermax confinement as a major component of the punitive shift. This is done primarily through the application of contemporary literature that focuses on the sociology of punishment theory. Another purpose of this thesis was to examine and describe the history and current status of supermax prisons and units. To accomplish this, secondary data sources were used to collect information about the various correctional institutions throughout the US that utilize this type of confinement. It was also the intent to see what aspects of supermax confinement need to be addressed further through research. As a result of this, a literature review is provided discussing what academic literature has provided thus far. The conclusions show that the punitive shift in society that brought about the use of supermax confinement resulted from a discontent with late modernity and is perpetuated through the cultural landscape that has thus far been created. Further findings showed that at least 37 states have at least one correctional facility that utilizes supermax confinement, which demonstrates that there has indeed been a movement towards the use of supermax confinement.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/46"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2011 Marisa M. Baumgardner"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["Administrative Segregation","Cultural Landscape","Late Modernity","Prisons","Supermax","Voyeuristic Mysticism","Criminology","Criminology and Criminal Justice"],"dc:title":["Supermax Confinement: A Descriptive and Theoretical Inquiry"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Justice Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:13Z"}