In Prison, Out of Googles

Slate, December 12, 2023: In Prison, Out of Googles

“I already knew my father was dead. For the past three days I had spoken with family members about cremation, grave plots, funeral songs, and the fact I wanted him to wear a green shirt. But I was still hoping it was a bad dream. Sitting in an Ohio prison far away from my loved ones, it was easy to be in denial. To believe he was really gone, I needed proof. I needed someone to Google it. My best chance was with the prison chaplain.

“When I arrived at the chaplain’s office, it echoed with the clicks of a keyboard and mouse. I sat down in front of her desk and reluctantly asked her to Google my dad’s obituary. I focused on the walls and dusty bookshelves, hoping to hold on to my illusion. She found the obituary, printed it out, and handed me the information I had hoped to never read. It was real.

“Google is on the long list of things I took for granted prior to prison. Before I was incarcerated in 2014, I used Google often, relying on the search engine to satisfy my random curiosities. When that access was suddenly cut off, I began depending on others to answer my burning questions. Prison is isolating by design, and even things like obituaries are cruelly out of reach.

“As was the case after my father’s death, Google, and the people who connected me to it, became one of my few sources of information on the outside world. Many incarcerated women are in the same position—we’re forced to outsource our Googling, leaning on the kindness of a loved one or a staff member who takes pity. This can quickly strain relationships: On the outside, people are annoyed with our constant requests. On the inside, we feel like we’re not asking much.”

Additional reading:

Slate: Time, Online

Corrections1, December 12, 2023: Not a luxury: How technology can protect inmate mental health

Wire, June 30, 2023: Inmates Need Internet to Prepare for Life After Prison