Indefinite: Doing Time in Jail

Jails are the principal people-processing machines of the criminal justice system, often overcrowded, poorly funded, and in disrepair. "Indefinite" is an ethnographic study of a California county jail that reflects on what it means to do jail time and what it does to men. It shows how punishment in jail is more than the deprivation of liberties and is purposefully degrading, creating a racial politics that organizes daily life, moves men from clock time to event time, normalizes trauma, and imbues residents with substantial measures of vulnerability. Deputies used self-centered management styles to address the problems associated with running a jail, some that magnified individual conflicts to potential group conflicts and others that created divisions between residents for the sake of control.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 19 May 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Jails, the primary institutions within the criminal justice system, serve as the primary means of processing individuals. Primarily, they house individuals awaiting trial who cannot afford bail or have been denied it. While jail sentences typically cap at one year, certain individuals spend extended periods in jail, particularly in counties where court backlogs hinder timely proceedings. Various types of jails, including city and county facilities, detention centers, police lockups, and temporary holding facilities, often face overcrowding, inadequate funding, and dilapidated conditions. Each year, over ten million individuals are admitted to American jails, yet there remains limited knowledge about their experiences while confined.

Indefinite, an ethnographic study conducted in a California county jail, delves into the profound implications of serving time in jail and its effects on men. Authored by Michael L. Walker, who himself experienced multiple extended incarcerations due to parking ticket violations during his time in graduate school, this book offers an intimate account of his experiences. Walker explores the routines, rhythms, and subtle meanings that accompany incarceration, shedding light on the degrading nature of punishment within jail. He argues that punishment extends beyond the deprivation of liberties and encompasses purposeful degradation. Jail establishes a racial politics that organizes daily life, transitions men from clock time to event time, normalizes trauma, and imbues residents with significant vulnerabilities. Deputies employed various management styles to navigate the challenges of running a jail, some of which heightened individual conflicts and escalated them into potential group conflicts. Additionally, some deputies resorted to dividing residents for control purposes. While not all deputies engaged in such practices, many surrendered to the power dynamics inherent in the jail environment.

In conclusion, jails serve as the primary hubs for processing individuals within the criminal justice system. They hold individuals awaiting trial, often for extended periods due to financial constraints or court backlogs. The experiences of those incarcerated are multifaceted, encompassing emotional and physical toll, as well as the strategies employed to endure the harsh conditions. Indefinite, through its ethnographic lens, provides a deep insight into the world of jail, shedding light on the degrading nature of punishment, the establishment of racial politics, and the impact of these factors on the lives of those confined.

Weight: 588g
Dimension: 243 x 165 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780190072865