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Carceral-capital-charitable politics in Kingston, Ontario: analyzing relationships of embeddedness and indebtedness

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Abstract

This paper investigates the partnership between Correctional Service Canada, the City of Kingston, and United Way, which has transformed the decommissioned Kingston Penitentiary into a site central to the growth of local tourism, film and charitable industries in Kingston, Ontario. In particular, we examine the political and social implications of this prison-municipal-charitable partnership for the institutions involved, marginalized and criminalized people in the region, prison tourists, and penal policy in Canada. Investigating neo-institutional and network relationships, we argue that features of “embeddedness” and “indebtedness” between these institutions reinscribe neoliberal policy responses to social harm and economic challenges. We contend this partnership—which constitutes a regional growth machine—undermines the stated efforts of the aforementioned partners to reduce inequality and improve the lives of people pushed to the margins, thus perpetuating and further entrenching the penal status quo.

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Availability of data and materials

See “Access to Information Records on the Carceral Retasking of KP” available at <https://www.carceralculturescarcerales.ca/critical-punishment-memorialization-patrimonialisation-pnale-critique; https://www.carceralculturescarcerales.ca/critical-punishment-memorialization-patrimonialisation-pnale-critique>.

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Notes

  1. In Upper Canada (now known as Ontario), justice and security apparatuses such as the police, courts, and penitentiaries emerged during the period of early settlement (1763–1867) and nation building (1867–1910) as part of a process of consolidating the nation [10]. Local jails predate KP and operated within districts. Emerging in 1835, KP was modelled as a state-of-the-art institution and visitors began to tour the facility during the nineteenth century [54].

  2. On 4 March 2020, it was reported that the City will pay $1.1 million per year to lease KP from CSC, increasing from the $1 per year it paid previously. This agreement secures the use of the prison for up to eight years and allows up to 110 days per year of for-profit activities. On 11 September 2020 it was announced UW was no longer receiving donations from the KP tours that season. No reason was provided (e.g., the lease costs of the tours or responding to criticisms of their involvement).

  3. Figures differ between CRA and UW, and we present CRA’s figures. Total compensation for positions, which is not included in this reporting, was $1,004,816 [17].

  4. Author meeting with Scott Harris and Kyle Lawlor, 4 October 2019.

  5. Incarceration compels minimally market-attached residents to participate in the market in the capacity they are most required, as consumers [23].

  6. Obiziindan animitagozi noodin is Bear Clan of Algonquin, Oneida.

  7. The journal has requested that the authors add the link to the previously unpublished records obtained using ATI requests to the final version of this paper to preserve the anonymization of the manuscript at this stage.

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Funding

This research was funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Grant 435-2017-0100.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Political Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada

    Linda Mussell

  2. Department of Criminal Justice, University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

    Kevin Walby

  3. Department of Criminology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    Justin Piché

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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were led by Linda Mussell with Kevin Walby and Justin Piché serving in a supportive role. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Linda Mussell.

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Mussell, L., Walby, K. & Piché, J. Carceral-capital-charitable politics in Kingston, Ontario: analyzing relationships of embeddedness and indebtedness. Crime Law Soc Change 77, 47–68 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-021-09982-x

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