Cruel and unusual punishment: assessing public perceptions of suffering in toxic prisons

ABSTRACT Despite the ever-growing public discourse on the environment, few have yet to consider public opinions about environmental justice in the context of prisons. In this set of studies, we examined public perceptions of physical and emotional suffering of correctional populations, paying particular attention to whether perceptions differ by types of crime. We also examined perceptions of suffering across correctional and non-correctional communities exposed to the same environmental hazard. We find no differences in perceptions of suffering by conviction type; however, correctional populations were perceived as experiencing more emotional and physical suffering than correctional staff exposed to the same conditions. Moreover, we find that the residential community is perceived as experiencing more emotional suffering than the correctional population, as well as general support for environmental policies in shaping perceptions of suffering. Taken altogether, people are sensitive to environmental issues experienced by vulnerable populations; however, there are limits when certain groups are considered.