Inside the Prisoner’s Mind

For many people, depression, suicidal thoughts, and fractured family relationships are painful but familiar struggles. For people who experience incarceration, these challenges often escalate into a deep and enduring psychological crisis, one that begins well before prison and can persist years after release.

A new Israeli study offers rare insight into this hidden reality. Using artificial intelligence to analyze thousands of online posts written by prisoners before, during and after incarceration, researchers reveal the emotional and psychological trajectory of incarceration in unprecedented detail.

Mining Digital Voices to Understand Incarceration

The study examined discussions around a dedicated incarceration-related community on Reddit. While the posts were written mostly by prisoners in the United States, the researchers emphasize that the patterns identified are likely relevant to incarcerated populations worldwide, including in Israel.

The research was conducted by Elad Yom-Tov, Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Bar-Ilan University, together with Dr. Netanel Dagan from the Institute of Criminology at Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Using AI-based text analysis, the researchers analyzed nearly 11,600 posts and 127,000 comments written over a ten-year period by more than 6,600 users. Advanced algorithms allowed them to identify whether a post was written before imprisonment, during incarceration, or after release, and to track how dominant themes shifted across these stages.

Psychological Distress That Does Not End at the Prison Gate

The results paint a stark picture. Across all stages, there is a marked increase in discussion of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, reflecting intense emotional strain surrounding incarceration.

Crucially, this distress does not fade after release. Even three years after first writing about entering prison, users continued to engage heavily with content related to psychological suffering. Suicidal thoughts appeared not only during incarceration but also months after release, raising serious questions about the adequacy of mental health support both before imprisonment and throughout rehabilitation toward reentry.

Family Bonds Under Pressure

The study also sheds light on how incarceration reshapes family life. Discussions related to parenting decline significantly throughout the incarceration timeline, possibly reflecting the severe difficulty of maintaining parent–child relationships while imprisoned.

At the same time, interest in interpersonal relationships increases. The researchers suggest this may reflect a search for emotional stability or support in a challenging environment, or the increased effort required to sustain intimate relationships under the conditions of incarceration.

Substance Use, Spiritual Searching, and Identity

Substance-related discussions are another recurring theme. Posts referencing cannabis, cocaine, and benzodiazepines increase both before imprisonment and after release. While this does not necessarily indicate substance use, it clearly points to heightened concern and preoccupation around these substances during transitional periods.

Spirituality follows a similar pattern. Interest in spiritual topics rises sharply around major turning points, approximately six months before and after incarceration. The researchers suggest this may reflect a search for meaning, grounding, or emotional support in response to anxiety and identity disruption.

An Unexpected Bright Spot: Physical Health

Amid the psychological challenges, the study identifies one notable possibly positive trend: decreased discussion of physical health. For example, mentions of chronic conditions such as diabetes decline during incarceration.

According to the researchers, this may reflect a troubling paradox of the U.S. system: prison may be the only place where individuals without adequate health insurance receive consistent medical care and medication.

Artificial Intelligence as a Tool for Social Insight

Beyond its specific findings, the study highlights the broader potential of artificial intelligence as a research tool. By analyzing large-scale social media data, AI can illuminate lived experiences that often remain invisible, particularly among populations that are difficult to reach through surveys or interviews.

As Prof. Yom-Tov notes, this research serves as “a powerful example of how technology and society can come together for the benefit of humanity.”