The New York Times recently ran an interesting story on prison cemeteries in Texas. For about $2,000, the state buries about 100 inmates a year. They die of lethal injection, old age, or illness, but they’re all dressed in dark pants, a white shirt, and tie, and are buried with a prayer from the prison chaplain.
When inmates die in custody, their bodies are sometimes unclaimed. This may be because they have no family at all, or their family members don’t wish to claim the body. Other times the inmate is cared for by family members who simply can’t afford to bury the person themselves. So, occasionally the family members will decline to claim the body, but show up on the day of the burial to pay their respects.
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 8
Shreen — February 23, 2012
That's. . . really sad.
Natalie Red Morse-Noland — February 23, 2012
Is the wooden object in the second photo a coffin? Seems odd that there would be such a difference in the quality of coffins provided, if it is.
Gilbert Jimenez — February 23, 2012
Since the black coffin is in all of the other photos, I think the wooden object is just a grave liner; that $2000 isn't going to cover a burial vault.
C. D. Leavitt — February 23, 2012
"They die of lethal injection, old age, or illness, but they’re all
dressed in dark pants, a white shirt, and tie, and are buried with a
prayer from the prison chaplain."
Gender neutral burial clothing with literally everyone wearing a tie, or does this just not acknowledge dead female inmates? I'm genuinely curious.
TravisLWilliams — February 24, 2012
are women prisoners buried in pants, a shirt, and a tie?