Are Prisons Obsolete? By Angela Davis

Are Prisons Obsolete?, by Angela Davis, explores the history of prisons in the United States of America, as well as their social, political, and cultural facets. Additionally, she makes the argument for the abolition of prisons within America. Throughout the book, Davis forms three main assumptions: racism is real and wrong, prisons are racist institutions, and prisons should be considered obsolete. To start, Davis argues that racism is real and wrong by examining the history of racism in the United States, and the way in which minority children are raised. Secondly, she points out that prisons are racist institutions due to the history of prisons themselves, as well as the way in which prisoners are treated. In fact, prisons are not only racist, …show more content…
is the general statement that racism is both real and wrong. Davis is essentially stating the fact that racism still exists in the United States of America, and that the continued existence of said racism is wrong. Perhaps the most indicative piece of evidence concerning racism in the United States is the way minorities are treated throughout their lives. It begins at the education level, within elementary and high schools. Children are disciplined as potential criminals, and attend schools in systemically poor communities where crime and violence are high. Racism takes place on the streets as well, where minorities are subject to racial profiling by police. Not only do they have to face violence from criminals, but the police themselves. Minorities are extremely overrepresented in prisons, warehoused with no rights. There is no escape from the racism, which follows minorities in the United States from the start to the end of their lives. History has had a huge contribution to the racism existing today, especially through slavery. Indeed, slavery set the foundation for the conditions in which minorities, especially blacks, live now. There is truly no arguing that racism is real, wrong, and very much present in American …show more content…
She makes three main assumptions within her book: racism is real and wrong, prisons are racist, and prisons are obsolete. Though these three assumptions hold a lot of weight, they are quite radical. To be effectively implemented, there would need to be a proper middle ground. Instead of the abolition of prisons, prison reform should be focused on instead. No matter what, the prison system within the United States must be fixed, as it is only harming