Prisons and Pollution: A Nationwide Analysis of Carceral Environmental Inequality.

The article focuses on the concept of "carceral environmental inequality," which examines the disproportionate exposure of incarcerated populations and surrounding communities to environmental hazards in the United States. The study utilizes multi-level regression models to analyze census tract-level data, revealing that proximity to prisons, particularly county jails, correlates with higher levels of pollution across various measures of environmental harm. The findings suggest that communities near incarceration facilities face greater environmental risks, highlighting the intersection of mass incarceration and environmental injustice, particularly affecting marginalized populations. The research calls for further exploration into the mechanisms driving these inequalities and the implications for future studies on environmental justice. [Extracted from the article]