Jessica T. Simes

Jessica T. Simes is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Boston University, specializing in the sociological analysis of racial inequality, mass incarceration, and carceral systems. Her research focuses on the geographic and social consequences of punitive policies, particularly in non-urban and marginalized communities. She holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University and has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Her groundbreaking book, *Punishing Places: The Geography of Mass Imprisonment in America* (2021), reveals how incarceration disproportionately impacts small cities and suburbs, reshaping understandings of punishment as a spatialized form of racialized harm. Current projects include studies on solitary confinement and the effects of cash bail reform on community well-being.

Dr. Simes has received prestigious awards, including the 2022 Robert E. Park Best Book Award and the 2023 NSF CAREER Award. Her work bridges academic research with public discourse, appearing in outlets like *The Atlantic* and *TIME*. She collaborates with policymakers and advocates to reform punitive systems, emphasizing spatial equity and abolitionist frameworks.