Julissa Muniz Humanities and Social Science
Exploring Power Systems Among California's Female Inmates
Today California has the largest womens prison population of the nation, with a population size of 6,409. Between 1972 to 2010, the number of women in correctional facilities nationwide increased by approximately 646%, the fastest growing prison group of the nation. In spite of these alarming numbers, little is known about the prison subculture that exists within California’s women correctional facilities. My research seeks to expand the male dominated discourse of incarceration by exploring how racial systems of social control operate within California’s correctional facilities through in-depth ethnographic research. The primary objective of my research is to survey a diverse pool of formerly incarcerated women from various racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, in order, to illustrate a more inclusive narrative of race relations within women’s prisons.
Message To Sponsor
SURF has given me the opportunity of a lifetime, one essential to my growth as an academic, researcher, and person. My bachelor's degree is simply the beginning, and this fellowship has confirmed my want and desire to pursue a doctorate degree in education. SURF has given me the opportunity to apply the theories I've so adamantly studied, to one day, be the true organic intellectual I strive to be. Thanks to SURF and all of its supporters, young academics like myself are able to explore issues that continue to plague our communities; issues that often go unresearched.