Chapter 2

Punishing Places in Utah

Replicating and extending Simes' Punishing Places methodology for Utah: documenting the geography of correctional supervision and testing the concentrated disadvantage hypothesis.

21%
Pop. → 50% Supervision
0.496
Gini Coefficient
1.285
Disadv. RR
1.440
Neighbor Disadv. RR
Maps
Foundational Map

Correctional Supervision Rate per 1,000

Figure 2.1 · All 716 Census Tracts · Raw Rates

The foundational "punishing places" map showing raw correctional population rates across all of Utah's census tracts. Reveals the dual-concentration pattern: elevated rates in both Salt Lake/Weber urban cores and the Carbon/Duchesne/Uintah rural extraction region.

Open Map
Regional Comparison

Regional Analysis

Figures 2.2–2.3 · Concentration Curve, Regional Box Plots, Classification Maps

Lorenz curve quantifying spatial inequality (Gini = 0.496), regional distribution box plots revealing that extraction-dependent counties exhibit rates comparable to urban disadvantaged cores, and regional classification maps across four schemes.

FORTHCOMING
Tables
Concentration Metrics

Spatial Concentration Statistics

Table 2.3 · Utah vs. Simes Massachusetts Benchmark

Key concentration thresholds: population share for 25%, 50%, 75% of supervision; supervision share from top 10%, 15%, 20% of population. Directly compared with Simes' Massachusetts findings. Confirms the "punishing places" thesis extends to Utah's distinctive geography.

FORTHCOMING
Statistical Models

Model Results

Tables 2.9–2.12 · Spatial Poisson Regression · Concentrated Disadvantage & Neighbor Effects

Progressive model-building replicating Simes' methodology: concentrated disadvantage index (RR = 1.285), spatially lagged neighbor effects (RR = 1.440), and full specification with regional controls. The neighbor effect finding motivates INLA-BYM2 spatial modeling in Chapter 3.

FORTHCOMING

References

Simes, J. T. (2018a). Place and punishment: The spatial context of mass incarceration. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 34(3), 513–533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10940-017-9344-y

Simes, J. T. (2021). Punishing places: The geography of mass imprisonment. University of California Press.