Dr. Jessica Simes

Biography

Jessica T. Simes is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Boston University. Her research focuses on sociological inquiries into racial inequality, mass incarceration, and the conditions of prison confinement within urban social structures. Simes authored the book 'Punishing Places: Geography of Mass Imprisonment in America' published by the University of California Press in October 2021, which meticulously details the consequences of mass incarceration on neighborhoods and communities across the United States. Currently, she is engaged in a field study examining solitary confinement and its impacts, along with conducting studies on racial and mental health disparities related to solitary confinement. Simes holds a B.A. with honors in Sociology and a minor in Critical Theory and Social Justice from Occidental College, as well as an M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Harvard University. Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Research Interests