ABSTRACT
A major contribution of carceral geography has been its suggestion that the ‘ carceral’ is something more than merely the spaces in which people are enclosed. Instead, this body of work insists that ‘carceral’ is a psychological and social construction of which the effects of imprisonment can leave lasting impacts upon inmate bodies (Moran, 2015). Certainly, the embodiment of imprisonment moves beyond the physical space of the prison. While carceral geography can make a distinctive contribution to examining the prison’s impact on inmates’ lives both while ‘doing time’ and post-release, this chapter investigates how inmates attempt to lessen the impact of carceral regimes by reverting inwards to escape the prison. In other words, understanding how and why inmates move from the real to the imaginary can illuminate discussions surrounding the conditions of prison life they routinely endure.
