Purposive Placement

Autonomy Through Self-Lock-Up in Restrictive Housing Units

Bibliographic Data

ID8401998
AuthorsDanielle S Rudes (0000-0002-0439-5762, Sam Houston State University, corresponding author), Shannon Magnuson (0000-0002-8824-4979, Justice System Partners , South Easton, MA 02375), Sydney Ingel (0000-0002-5686-4436, George Mason University)
Year2025
Volume65
Issue5
Pages1016-1034
Publication date2025-09-18
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe British Journal of Criminology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-0955 • E-ISSN: 1464-3529
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/bjc/azae087
OpenAlexW4405428258
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited27

The idea that some prison residents purposively seek placement within restricted housing units (RHUs) within US prisons is perhaps counter-intuitive. Prior scholarship acknowledges that some residents prefer RHUs for safety and solitude; however, scholars to date know very little about how and why RHU placement is purposively secured. The current study presents staff and resident interview data from four prisons within one US state. Findings suggest some residents intentionally seek the RHU for both precautionary and instrumental reasons and, in doing so, often work toward a goal of gaining some (if limited) autonomy. Findings also suggest that to attain RHU placement, residents purposively commit misconducts they know require RHU placement. These findings (1) suggest a need for general population and RHU reform and (2) showcase how residents use their limited autonomy to push back against institutional processes

Autonomy · Commit · Criminology · Lock (firearm) · Political science · Population · Prison · Scholarship · Sociology · State (computer science) · Work (physics) · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Engineering · Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints · Homelessness and Social Issues · Law · Psychology · Social Psychology

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