Publication Date
Fall 2015
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Justice Studies
Advisor
Alessandro De Giorgi
Keywords
criminology, mass incarceration, pay to stay, prison economics, prison industry, prison policy
Subject Areas
Criminology; Social research
Abstract
Many California cities have recently implemented pay-to-stay jail programs at the local level. Pay-to-stay programs provide a safe and private incarceration experience for those who can afford the nightly fee. This study provides a theoretical analysis of the pay-to-stay jail program in relation to mass incarceration and the ever-expanding prison economy. It examines pay-to-stay programs as a new method of stratified punishment, reproducing race and class oppression within the U.S. penal regime. A case study of the Fremont pay-to-stay program offers insight into the implementation, operation, and application process for inmates seeking segregation from general county jail populations. This study concludes that pay-to-stay creates a two-tiered jail system—separating the deserving from the undeserving—and promotes disproportionate treatment within the criminal justice system.
Recommended Citation
Schultz, Carla Sue, "Paying For Your Crime: The Pay-to-Stay Jail Program in California" (2015). Master's Theses. 4666.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.5dee-k6u7
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4666