Prison Power and Control Dynamics: Incarcerated Mothers' Experiences of Economic Restriction and Economic Exploitation.

Dynamics of incarceration resemble power and control dynamics of intimate partner violence and constitute state violence. We examined incarcerated mothers' experiences of the economic dynamics of incarceration to explore how they resemble forms of economic abuse. Based on constant comparative analysis, we found the following dynamics: (1) the prison overcharging and underfunding incarcerated mothers; (2) economic exploitation with staff withholding necessities; (3) economic restriction through racialized hierarchies of employment that negatively impacted Black mothers; and (4) mothers paying to parent. All dynamics were interconnected with sexual abuse by prison staff. Our findings have implications for disrupting state violence within prisons.