Mass Incarceration

6th Section on the Final Exam

Which country has the highest incarceration rate in the world?

The United States.

About how many people are in U.S. prisons and jails?

Around 2 million.

What is the prison industrial complex?

A system where incarceration is used to address social issues, and profit influences prison policy.

What is convict labor?

Prisoners producing goods (like furniture, uniforms) and providing services (call centers, agriculture).

Which groups are most affected by mass incarceration?

Black, Latino, Indigenous, and poor communities.

What did the 1994 Crime Bill do?

Expanded prisons, created harsher sentences, and introduced three-strikes laws—fueling mass incarceration.

How has marijuana/cannabis criminalization affected communities?

Drug laws since the 1930s have disproportionately targeted people of color; many still face incarceration or legal barriers despite today’s legalization.