Offender Stigma: A Textual Analysis of Law Enforcement Social Media Presence

Authors: Shelby Currier, Barat Wolfe, Michelle Johnston

SUNY Campus: SUNY Canton

Presentation Type: Poster

Location: Old Union Hall

Presentation #: 54

Timeslot: Session B 10:15-11:15 AM

Abstract: The criminally accused and the formerly incarcerated face considerable community stigmatization, which may present in a variety of ways. Dehumanizing statements and actions, however, are among the most common behaviors associated with offender stigmatization, potentially impacting offender reintegration, adjustment, or persistence in their communities. The relatively recent rise of law enforcement agencies utilizing social media platforms to announce public arrests on their personal media pages, broadcasting offender identities, crimes, and photographs, raises questions about this practice and its impact on potential stigma. This study sought to explore the phenomenon of social media use by law enforcement agencies and its facilitation of the dehumanizing treatment and stigmatization of the criminally accused. Focusing on a single Facebook presence managed by a small, rural law enforcement agency in the northeastern region of the United States, this study analyzed public Facebook posts announcing arrests within this jurisdiction of suspected offenders as well as the community comments associated with such announcements to explored themes of stigmatization. Using a qualitative analysis, comments on public arrest announcements, confined to a narrow six-month date range, were coded for specific themes, including: judgments, community contributions, identities, and the justice system. Implications of the findings will be discussed, with focus on how the context of the smaller (i.e., rural, more familiar) community explored here may have contributed to the dehumanization of these individuals.