Abstract:

Information behaviors of individuals and groups who have limited access to information sources due to various reasons such as physical, mental, environmental, socio-economic, cultural, etc. should be considered vitally important in the context of the aforementioned limitations. This study aims to provide a theoretical framework regarding the information needs, information behaviors of the prisoners who are categorized in that group and to provide insight into the effective factors in this context as well as the problems faced by these groups. Within the scope of the study in which descriptive method is used, first, in a general context, features, concepts, and approaches related to information behaviors, and then specific information needs and behaviors of prisoners and the factors that shape them are discussed. Due to the limited researches that have been conducted in the related area in the domestic literature, foreign literature is consulted mainly. As a result, it is concluded that although the information needs and behaviors of the prisoners have similarities with those of free citizens, they have special, limited and problematic characteristics shaped by the effect of prison (and/or detention) environment and conditions.

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