Supermax Prisons: What We Know, What We Do Not Know, and Where We Are Going

Supermax prisons have substantially increased in popularity during the last 20 years. This article presents an examination of the current state of knowledge on supermax prisons, in terms of both case law and criminal justice research, to assess the potential future of these facilities. Three research questions are posed: (a) What does the academic community know or not know about supermax prisons? (b) How have U.S. courts ruled in supermax prison litigation? and (c) Do current supermax case law and research indicate that their administration, existence, and operation will change in the near future?