Book Review: Digital punishment: Privacy, stigma and the harms of data-driven criminal justice

• Published date: 01 September 2024
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/07340168211008957
• Author: Natalie Rutter
• Date: 01 September 2024

Ultimately, he credited religion for the change in his outlook, but the unwavering support from his

mother was essential. The mantra that seemed to solidify the author’s change came from a prison

instructor who said he could either accept his criminal label or be truly exceptional, there was no

in-between. It was then that he “…made the decision…that [he] would be just that—exceptional”

(p. 141). To exemplify this, he became eligible to enroll in college courses and achieved an associ-

ate’s degree just prior to being paroled.

Mechanisms conducive for survival in prison left the author largely unprepared for conventional

adult life. Part III, Redemption, serves to document these struggles. More specif‌ically, this section is

a glimpse into the reentry issues that offenders face while also showing what it means to completely

defy the odds. As an example, when imprisoned, most decisions had been made on Bolden’s behalf,

so simple tasks—such as choosing a wardrobe—were overwhelming; furthermore, he quickly dis-

covered that f‌inding employment with a criminal record was nearly impossible. Upon release,

however, he was able to reside with his mother and stepfather who did their best to help him

adjust. After months of unsuccessfully trying to f‌ind employment, his stepfather got him a job as

a bagger at a grocery store. After 6 months of working at the store, he was dismissed because of

his criminal conviction despite having disclosed it at the time of hiring.

He enrolled in a bachelor’s degree programwhere he faced new challenges of f‌itting in on campus.

This was largely complicated by a lack of conventional social skills necessary for engaging others. He

found solace within the Criminology Department and successfully completed his degree—though his

employment struggles continued. It was a mentor who toldhim, rather than merely suggesting, that he

must go to graduate school. True to the preceding pages of the book, Dr. Bolden walks the reader

through this chapter of his journey. He explains each of the moments that became instrumental to

his success, but also how having people willing to help makes all the difference.

The lessons of this book are not only as direct as street culture, gang research, and theory but that

of second chances and the ability to help in changing a punitive culture and system built on a trajec-

tory of failure. Dr. Bolden achieves his goal of f‌inding a balance between academic theory and real-

world experiences. Readers without prerequisite knowledge of the topics covered will be able to

easily follow and learn from the information presented, while those possessing a greater understand-

ing of theory will be able to infer main tenets. Accordingly, it is well suited for undergraduate and

graduate courses as well as for practitioners.

ORCID iD

Kristi L. Greenberg https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8033-6481

Lageson, S. (2020).

Digital punishment: Privacy, stigma and the harms of data-driven criminal justice. Oxford University Press. 242

pp. $30.99. ISBN: 9780190872038.

Reviewed by: Natalie Rutter ,Leeds Trinity University, United Kingdom

DOI: 10.1177/07340168211008957

As our lives, and the perceptions of the lives of others, are increasingly shaped by global online

environments—managing both our privacy and identity is becoming progressively diff‌icult. For indi-

viduals already marginalized within society, like those with criminal records, online spaces can

extend these challenges through stigmatization. Sarah Lageson presents valuable and insightful

research through well-ref‌lected and critical arguments surrounding the increased digitalization,

Book Reviews 401