The Abolitionist Spectator: Resistant Readings of Punishment, Rehabilitation, and Reform at the Louisiana State Penitentiary

Abstract

For the majority of the twenty-first century, Louisiana has been the global leader in rates of incarceration. Despite its prevalence, many people encounter prisons and punishment only through representations in movies, television, and the news, remaining distant from the actual processes of punishment and prisons built in remote areas. The Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, however, is unique in the number of opportunities it presents for the public to enter the prison for large-scale events like the famous Angola Prison Rodeo, select drama club performances, or to visit the Angola Prison Museum. These opportunities are often read cynically, as moments for indifferent crowds to gawk at prisoners or for the prison administration to produce spectacles of punishment.