ABSTRACT
“Big data” describes an approach to data collection that emphasizes large amounts of digitized information, where individuals are observed through a vast array of data collection tools. For those who study United States carceral practices, the concept of big data is hardly unfamiliar; it is well established that incarcerated individuals are subject to a wide range of prison-led interviews, evaluations, and surveys, especially during the initial stages of their incarceration. Indeed, the very practice of state surveillance, data collection, and monitoring of justice-involved people is foundational to the study of criminal justice and the modern prison. Recognizing both academics’ de facto reliance on state-collected data and the context in which state-sponsored and state-administered carceral research takes place, how might academics understand the symbolic value and methodological praxis of carceral data collection? This chapter describes the practice and breadth of data collection of incarcerated individuals from booking to post-release. Drawing from emerging theoretical research on big data, the digitized panopticon, and data surveillance, this chapter examines theoretical perspectives regarding the value and purpose of data collection, as well as methodological concerns, including transparency, informed consent, and no-harm principles within carceral spaces.
