‘The only thing consistent...is the inconsistency’
This paper explores the experiences of individuals who visit their loved ones in Canadian federal prisons, with a specific focus on the impact of a drug-detection technology called ion scanning, used to screen visitors for drugs. Drawing on data from eight open-ended interviews with individuals who have experienced false positive indications on the ion scanner while attempting to visit loved ones behind bars, I explore the negative impacts of frequent false positives on the lives of prisoners and their families. Although the scanner is presented as objective and bias-free technology, the way it is used is shaped by hidden moral judgments. I focus on two themes that emerged from this study : the kind of interactions that take place between families and prison staff, and the inconsistency and unpredictability of the ion scanner machine. My analysis reveals that the ion scanner is a faulty technology that further stigmatizes, and in effect punishes, the families of prisoners. Looking at the literature on the collateral consequences of incarceration and on risk and surveillance technologies, I reflect on how the ion scanner contributes to extending the pains of incarceration to prison visitation.