What Do Our Phones Tell Us About Jails, Prisons, and Incarceration? A Social Media Content Analysis

Social media is a form of communication that is frequently utilized and widely accessible to people in the United States. It can share direct insight into individuals' lived experiences. In comparison to other social science disciplines, the criminal justice field lacks research that collects data through this medium of communication. Prior research regarding life within jails and prisons is often restricted to parameters set forth by correctional institutions, which creates limitations to the scope of correctional research. This study attempts to bypass historical barriers in past research by unobtrusively analyzing jails and prisons through short-form videos posted on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Two research questions are proposed: 1. What information about jail, prison and incarceration is being distributed through social media short-form videos? 2. How are video elements being utilized to convey information about jail, prison, and incarceration through social media short-form videos. An analysis of N= 670 videos is conducted to analyze video elements and content. Content is organized into seven themes: carceral lifestyle, system relationships, community connections, entertainment, criminal justice operations, facility operations, and mental constructs. Chi-squared analyses for independence are conducted to determine how video elements and themes are associated. Researchers and practitioners should be knowledgeable about the information shared about jails and prisons as it could influence public perceptions, which could impact policies and practices within the system.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's Degree

Grantor

University of Nevada, Reno

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• DeTiberiis, Samantha

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Lanterman, Jennifer

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Holbrook, Mia
• Pain, Paromita

• Incarceration
• Jail
• Prison
• Short-form Videos
• Social Media

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://scholarwolf.unr.edu/handle/11714/10953

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarwolf.unr.edu:11714/10953