Decolonizing prisons: Indigenized programming and a critique of critical prison studies.

Area of Science:

• Criminology
• Indigenous Studies
• Decolonial Theory

Background:

• Critical prison studies (CPS) often dismisses Indigenous cultural programs in prisons as assimilationist and counter-decolonial.
• This perspective contrasts with the lived experiences of incarcerated Indigenous peoples.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the accuracy and utility of CPS arguments against Indigenous cultural programming in prisons.
• To center the perspectives of Indigenous peoples affected by the carceral system.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of 587 interviews with incarcerated men and women in six Western Canadian prisons.
• Focus on the 40% of participants who identified as Indigenous.

Main Results:

• Indigenous interviewees overwhelmingly supported Indigenized programs, viewing them as crucial for healing from colonial violence.
• Participants expressed a strong desire for increased access to and availability of cultural programming.
• Existing research suggests flawed but dignity-affirming outcomes for these programs.

Conclusions:

• CPS critiques of Indigenous prison programming may not align with the needs and desires of incarcerated Indigenous peoples.
• Decolonial processes in carceral settings are complex and require methods centered on Indigenous voices.
• Further research is needed on the implementation of cultural programming, prioritizing Indigenous perspectives.