Carceral Silence: A Sociological Framework for the Betrayal of Incarcerated Women, Data Control, Hegemony, and the Ethics of Health Librarianship

This poster presents a sociological framework for understanding “carceral silence,” the systemic suppression or distortion of data concerning incarcerated women. It argues that medical librarians and researchers operate within structures of hegemony that normalize omission, restrict access, and reproduce gender erasure. Drawing on Gramsci’s theory of consent and feminist sociology, the analysis links data inaccessibility to official ignorance and structural violence. It critiques privatized electronic medical record (EMR) systems, HIPAA misuse, and fragmented correctional data architectures that make evidence-based care and policy impossible. The framework concludes that librarians must act as organic intellectuals, advancing counter-hegemonic data practices rooted in transparency, dignity, and justice.Dedicated to Dr. Glenn McIntosh, my mentor and colleague, who stood as a champion for higher education.