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Rights-in-between: Resident perceptions of and accessibility to rights within restricted housing units

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Danielle S. Rudes Open the ORCID record for Danielle S. Rudes [Opens in a new window] ,
Shannon Magnuson ,
Sydney Ingel  and
Taylor Hartwell
Danielle S. Rudes*
Affiliation:
Department of Criminology, Law and Society, Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
Shannon Magnuson
Affiliation:
Department of Criminology, Law and Society, Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
Sydney Ingel
Affiliation:
Department of Criminology, Law and Society, Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
*
Danielle S. Rudes, Department of Criminology, Law and Society, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, MS6D3, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA., Email: drudes@gmu.edu
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Abstract

Prison laws and policies often do not explicitly state the rights and privileges for the individuals residing there. This space is a unique example of where the law-on-the-books meet the law-in-action—a place where “law-in-between” operates in the hands of street-level workers. Using data collected from interviews with restricted housing unit residents and staff in four men's prisons, this paper examines how the law-in-between operates in a highly structured and punitive environment. Findings reveal agreement among residents and staff regarding general definitions and perceptions of rights, with some similarities regarding what rights are broadly. However, divergence exists in discussion of how rights are accessed in practice.

Type
Orginal Article
Information
Law & Society Review , Volume 55 , Issue 2 , June 2021 , pp. 296 - 319
Copyright
© 2021 Law and Society Association.

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Footnotes

How to cite this article: Rudes DS, Magnuson S, Ingel S, Hartwell T. Rights-in-between: Resident perceptions of and accessibility to rights within restricted housing units. Law & Society Rev. 2021;55:296-319. https://doi.org/10.1111/lasr.12550

Funding information George Mason University-OSCAR

References

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