The Effect of Incarceration on Political Beliefs for Vulnerable Populations

In an era of mass incarceration and increased polarization of prison reform, I explore the interrelated question: if incarceration affects political beliefs, and, if so, for whom are these effects strongest? I use data from over 5,000 inmate responses to a survey collected from jails and prisons across the United States in 2020 by the Marshall Project. My results demonstrate that incarceration significantly affects political beliefs of currently incarcerated people and the most vulnerable demographics imprisoned — women and people of color — experiencing an increased change in political beliefs compared to men and white counterparts.