Civil Rights and Criminal Justice

A set of flashcards covering key concepts, terms, and events related to civil rights and criminal justice.

Civil Rights

The rights of individuals to political and social freedom and equality under the law.

Civil Rights Movement

A social movement primarily during the 1950s–1960s, aiming to end racial discrimination and segregation in the U.S. and achieve equal rights for African Americans.

Convict Leasing

A post-Civil War practice where states leased prisoners (often disproportionately Black individuals) to private businesses as forced labor.

Counterterrorism

Policies, strategies, and military actions aimed at preventing and combating terrorist activities.

Decriminalization

Reducing or eliminating criminal penalties associated with certain actions without fully legalizing them.

Domestic Surveillance

Monitoring or spying by a government on its own citizens through wiretaps, data collection, or internet monitoring.

Drones (RPVs)

Unmanned aircraft used primarily by the military or intelligence agencies for surveillance and targeted attacks.

Enhanced Interrogation

Euphemism for controversial interrogation techniques widely considered forms of torture.

Extralegal Airstrike

A targeted killing or attack by aircraft or drones conducted without legal approval.

Extraordinary Rendition

Secret transfer of terrorism suspects to foreign countries for detention and interrogation, bypassing due process.

Indigence

Extreme poverty; lacking resources to meet basic needs, often linked to issues like mass incarceration.

Institutionalized Racism

Policies, laws, and practices entrenched in social or political institutions that maintain racial inequalities.

Jim Crow

A system of laws and social norms enforcing racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans.

Mass Incarceration

The substantial increase in the number of incarcerated people, disproportionately affecting racial minorities since the 1980s.

Michelle Alexander

Author of The New Jim Crow, arguing that the criminal justice system functions as a contemporary form of racial control.

New Jim Crow

Concept describing the modern mass incarceration system as a continuation of racial oppression similar to Jim Crow laws.

Private Prisons

Correctional facilities operated by private companies, criticized for prioritizing profit over inmate welfare.

Racial Caste

A social structure where race determines an individual's social status and access to resources.

Retail Reform

Incremental criminal justice reforms that address specific issues rather than systemic change.

Separate but Equal

Legal doctrine allowing racial segregation provided that facilities for each race were supposedly equal.

Slavery

A system where individuals are legally owned by others and deprived of personal freedoms.

Top Secret America

A term describing the vast and secretive U.S. national security apparatus post-9/11.

Unequal Sentencing

Disparities in criminal penalties based on race, class, or geography rather than crime severity.

Wholesale Reform

Comprehensive, systemic changes to criminal justice aimed at addressing widespread injustices.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the U.S., except as punishment for crime.

14th Amendment

Guarantees citizenship rights and equal protection under the law, primarily for formerly enslaved individuals.

Patriot Act

Law expanding U.S. government's surveillance and detention powers to combat terrorism.

Voting Rights Act (1965)

Legislation prohibiting racial discrimination in voting.

September 11, 2001, attacks

Coordinated terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda, leading to major changes in national security and civil liberties.

Grandfather Clause

Voting restriction exempting individuals whose ancestors had voting rights, disenfranchising African Americans.

Literacy Tests

Tests administered to voters to assess literacy, often difficult to prevent African Americans from voting.

Property Tests

Requirements for property ownership to vote, historically restricting voting among poor and minorities.

Jim Crow Laws

State and local laws enforcing racial segregation and inequality in the South from the late 1800s to the 1960s.

War on Drugs

Policies initiated to criminalize drug use and distribution, leading to mass incarceration.

Drug Crimes

Offenses related to illegal drug use, possession, or distribution significantly contributing to mass incarceration.

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

Non-profit organization dedicated to defending individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

Dana Priest

Investigative journalist who exposed the secretive post-9/11 national security state.

George W. Bush

43rd President of the U.S., who led the country through 9/11 and initiated the War on Terror.

Madeleine K. Albright

First female U.S. Secretary of State, instrumental in shaping counterterrorism strategies.

Barack Obama

The first African American president; critiqued for continued mass incarceration under his administration.

Bill Clinton

Signed the 1994 Crime Bill, intensifying mass incarceration affecting Black communities.

Bryan Stevenson

Prominent civil rights lawyer advocating for criminal justice reform and addressing racial bias.

Donald Trump

Critically featured for using racially charged language and supporting aggressive law enforcement policies.

Richard Nixon

His 'law and order' campaign and 'War on Drugs' policies laid the groundwork for mass incarceration.

Ronald Reagan

Expanded Nixon’s 'War on Drugs,' accelerating incarceration rates and harsh drug sentencing policies.

Civil Rights Movement

Historical context illustrating how advances faced backlash resulting in mass incarceration practices.

Convict Leasing

Historical example of the continuation of slavery practices through exploitation of imprisoned African Americans.

New Jim Crow

Concept asserting mass incarceration functions similarly to historical Jim Crow laws, creating a racial caste.

Slavery

Foundational injustice evolving into systemic racism manifesting through various social practices.

Voting Rights Act

Critical civil rights legislation undermined by mass incarceration and disenfranchisement of Black communities.