Tech & Prison Comms: The Impact on Recidivism

Mar 16, 2021

10:15am – 11:10am CT

In today’s world of constant technological disruption the prison system has been incredibly slow to adapt. Distressingly, text and voicemail are major innovations to the current communication infrastructure. The pandemic has also brought about a crisis in the inability of support groups to visit prisoners and continue programs. The Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center reports half of all prisoners lose touch with friends and family while in prison, yet research illustrates the importance of maintaining social connections while incarcerated to be successful on release. This panel sees experts in this space discuss the current exploitative state of prison communications and why corrections departments could see better outcomes by embracing new communications technologies and policies.

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.

photo of Christopher Beasley PhD
Christopher Beasley PhD

University of Washington-Tacoma

photo of Keri Blakinger
Keri Blakinger

The Marshall Project

photo of Alex Peder
photo of Carrie Wilkinson
Carrie Wilkinson

Human Rights Defense Center

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