Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaften und öffentliche Angelegenheiten
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A Proposal for Studying Social Media Sentiments about Corrections Reform in the United States

Kimberley Garth-James

A qualitative study of 85,000 engagements on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Reddit about corrections reform using the Pulsar social media listening software. The assessment of empirical studies of successful reforms to U.S. corrections, reveal a resurgence of discontent that nothing works (1970s thinking). The results showed a disturbing disconnection between science about what does work in rehabilitation” i.e., assessments, treatment, education, and employment” and the understanding shown in social media discourse. Accordingly, corrections professionals, policymakers, and students need to express informed opinions on social media platforms so that future corrections approaches trade nothing works for what has proved to work.