Mass Incarceration and Its Historical Context

These flashcards encompass key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on mass incarceration, its historical context, and various related themes.

What is mass incarceration?

Mass incarceration refers to the substantial increase in the number of individuals imprisoned, particularly affecting marginalized communities.

What are the key components of mass incarceration?

Quantitative and qualitative measures assess the extent and impact of mass incarceration.

What does the ‘toxic cocktail’ of prison conditions refer to?

It describes the harmful combination of overcrowding, poor health care, violence, and inadequate resources within prisons.

What is human dignity in the context of incarceration?

Human dignity refers to the respect and ethical treatment that incarcerated individuals deserve, which is often violated in prison.

What are the implications of chronic over-crowding in prisons?

Chronic overcrowding can lead to deteriorating health conditions and heightened tensions within the prison environment.

What was the significance of Brown v. Plata (2011)?

The Supreme Court ruling mandated improved health care for inmates in California prisons due to overcrowding and inadequate medical care.

What does the term ‘Prison Fix’ refer to?

It is a term used to describe initiatives or policies aimed at reforming or addressing issues related to mass incarceration.

What are the four surpluses of the California prison boom?

The surpluses refer to the economic, political, social, and institutional factors that contributed to the expansion of the prison system in California.

What is meant by ‘Preservation through transformation’?

It refers to making changes to the correctional system that uphold certain values while aiming for reform.

How have Law & Order and the War on Drugs influenced mass incarceration?

These policies promoted stringent sentencing and policing practices, disproportionately impacting communities of color.

What are welfare mothers and how are they related to discussions of incarceration?

Welfare mothers refers to the stigmatized perception of single mothers on welfare, often intersecting with issues of poverty and crime.

What is the relationship between crack cocaine and mass incarceration?

The criminalization of crack cocaine use has led to targeted policing and harsher sentencing for predominantly Black communities.

How did the War on Poverty and War on Crime contribute to incarceration rates?

These wars aimed to address social issues but often resulted in increased criminalization of poverty and marginalized groups.

Explain the concept of the Arc of Expulsion.

It describes the systematic exclusion and displacement of certain populations from society, often connected to incarceration.