CJS Recording-2025-03-04T22:03:54.056Z

Chapter Goals

• Understand concepts of wealth and mass incarceration

• Analyze the quote from Bryan Stevenson regarding justice for the rich vs. the poor

  • Focus on the implications of this disparity in the criminal justice system

Wealth and Assets

• Wealth Definition: Assets minus debts

• Earlier chapter discussions on housing and wealth implications

Mass Incarceration Overview

• The U.S. has the largest incarcerated population globally

• Higher rates of incarceration today than in any previous time

• Questions about the rise in incarceration rates and its societal implications

Statistics and Impact

• Breakdown of U.S. adult population in correctional facilities

  • Includes imprisoned, on probation, and on parole

• Approximately one in three individuals face some form of state surveillance or correctional control

• Increasing rates of incarceration correlate with increasing recidivism

Racial Disparities in Incarceration

• Disproportionate representation of Black and Hispanic individuals in prison

  • Black individuals: 13% of the population, 30% of imprisoned population

  • Hispanic individuals: 18% of the population, 22% of imprisoned population

• Racial Disparities: In 2017, Black males were 6 times more likely to be incarcerated than white males

• War on Drugs: Initiated in the 1980s contributed to rising incarceration rates for marginalized communities

  • Racial biases impacted the application of drug laws

Current Drug Crisis: Opioids

• Shift in focus from the traditional war on drugs to the opioid crisis

• Articles highlighting racial capitalism directing responses towards white communities as opposed to communities of color

• The idea of a ‘healthcare crisis’ vs. a ‘criminal response’ in addressing the opioid epidemic

Ineffectiveness of Mass Incarceration

• Discussions about the ineffectiveness of mass incarceration in preventing crime

  • Rehabilitation undermined by the systemic issues within prisons

  • Harsh penalties often lead to resentment and repeat offenses

• Participants reflect on the lessons learned from the criminal justice system's inequities

Benefits of Mass Incarceration

• Discussion on who benefits from mass incarceration

  • The rise of the private prison industry reliant on governmental contracts

  • Poor conditions in prisons lead to cost-cutting at the expense of inmate welfare

Consequences of Mass Incarceration

• Long-lasting impacts on families, particularly children of incarcerated individuals

• Impact on employment and housing opportunities for ex-offenders

• Under-policing of affluent neighborhoods leads to disparities in enforcement and crime perception

Economic Factors

• Historical context of restructured economies leading to increased prison populations

  • Economic decline in manufacturing and subsequent prison boom

• Political motivations behind tougher crime policies and their alignment with neoliberalism

The Prison Industrial Complex

• The system designed primarily for profit rather than effective crime control

• Intersecting interests lead to the building of more prisons and inefficient criminal justice policies

Democratic Implications

• Mass incarceration diminishes the representative nature of U.S. democracy

• Individuals with felony convictions often lose their right to vote, leading to a lack of representation within government

Conclusion

• Reflection on socio-economic factors and their relation to crime rates

• Need for a systemic change in approach to crime prevention and rehabilitation

• Upcoming chapters will explore related topics: health inequalities and environmental racism.