Systemic Endangerment: A Tale of Neoliberal “Slumcare”

Editors’ Introduction to the Special Issue, “Neoliberal Youth Carceralism and Alternative Visions of Justice”

“…In the seventh article, Kenneth A. Cruz (2019) investigates the workings of a private forprofit group home for young people with histories of violence. Cruz (2019) shows how the responsibilization of a for-profit, behavioral group home "unintentionally created spaces for [dangerously] irresponsible and harmful practices" to thrive-and did so despite the implementation of a research-supported crisis intervention strategy and regular audits of the practice.…”

“…Cruz (2019) investigates the workings of a private forprofit group home for young people with histories of violence. Cruz (2019) shows how the responsibilization of a for-profit, behavioral group home "unintentionally created spaces for [dangerously] irresponsible and harmful practices" to thrive-and did so despite the implementation of a research-supported crisis intervention strategy and regular audits of the practice. Drawing on his time as a staff member at the facility, Cruz (2019) argues that the substandard care he witnessed is legitimized by these technologies that "govern-at-distance."…”

“…Cruz (2019) shows how the responsibilization of a for-profit, behavioral group home "unintentionally created spaces for [dangerously] irresponsible and harmful practices" to thrive-and did so despite the implementation of a research-supported crisis intervention strategy and regular audits of the practice. Drawing on his time as a staff member at the facility, Cruz (2019) argues that the substandard care he witnessed is legitimized by these technologies that "govern-at-distance." Cruz's (2019) article shows how the tools used to steer the workings and gauge the success of state-partnered private facilities creates a veneer of propriety behind which troubling practices can flourish unseen.…”

“…Drawing on his time as a staff member at the facility, Cruz (2019) argues that the substandard care he witnessed is legitimized by these technologies that "govern-at-distance." Cruz's (2019) article shows how the tools used to steer the workings and gauge the success of state-partnered private facilities creates a veneer of propriety behind which troubling practices can flourish unseen. Ultimately, argues Cruz (2019), the term, "slumcare," captures the phenomenon whereby substandard interventions for marginalized young people are allowed to persist "behind a façade of effectiveness" and accountability.…”