Date of Award

Summer 8-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Sociology & Criminal Justice

Program/Concentration

Criminology and Criminal Justice

Committee Director

Jeanee C. Miller

Committee Member

Amanda Petersen

Committee Member

Tancy Vandercar-Burdin

Committee Member

Tracy Sohoni

Committee Member

Randy Gainey

Abstract

Encroaching state surveillance has primarily targeted people of color living in urban, inner cities, resulting in both much higher likelihoods of encountering state agents and the consequences of such contact. The ceaseless surveillance has led some individuals to engage in protective behaviors aimed at minimizing encounters with agents of the CLS. These behaviors are adaptable to present risks of surveillance and contact with the system. While there are various types of avoidance, the focus of this research is system avoidance and network avoidance. Previous literature for both types of avoidance focuses on the experiences of lower SES men. Further, as the CLS and affiliated institutions are not options to those who engage in avoidance, these individuals have been found to seek out sources of safety, justice, and well-being elsewhere.

With these inquiries in mind, I developed three research questions: (1) Based on perceived risk of system contact, how do Black men and women of different SESs decide what institutions, if any, to avoid?; (2) How, if at all, do Black men and women of different SESs shape their daily lives in response to perceived risks of system contact?; (3) How do network- or system-avoidant Black men and women of different SESs strategize to achieve safety, wellbeing, and justice?; (3A) When it comes to achieving safety, well-being, and justice, what are their unmet needs?; (3B) When it comes to achieving safety, well-being, and justice, what policy- or system-level changes do they desire?

To answer these questions, I conducted 12 in-depth interviews with Black men and women of varying SES residing in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. System avoidance was not prominent among the participants, although 9-1-1 avoidance, resistance to calling the police either for assistance or to report crime, was substantial. Network avoidance was a strong pattern among my participants. Participants additionally described their alternate strategies for achieving safety, justice, and well-being with their strategies heavily dependent on loved ones, community, and mutual aid. Their identified needs, as well as their desired system- and policy level changes, were additionally community-focused. Lastly, important gender and class distinctions emerged from the data.

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DOI

10.25777/g504-vm05

ISBN

9798193214342

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Criminology Commons

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