A Caged Country: Mass Incarceration in America
Mass incarceration is an indication of the downfall of America because too many people are carelessly thrown into jails and prisons, it prohibits progress amongst “minority” communities, and hinders the country’s economy by increasing unnecessary debt. Although some are opposed to limiting mass incarceration because they believe it may hinder public safety, it is not the most effective route to reaching public safety.
Mass incarceration has only become a major issue in the United States within the past 40 years. Once one is in the hands of the legal system you are forced to work for the prison, which is considered a legal form of slavery. For this reason, many believe that the rise in incarcerated beings is an attempt to bring slavery back. One major reason for the increase in incarcerated people can be linked to the War on Drugs in 1982. 41,000 people were sent to jails or prisons in 1982 for drug related offenses (The Sentencing Project). In 2014, almost half a million people were sentenced for the same general offenses. Today, those incarcerated for a drug conviction can make up half of the prison population at the federal level. Although there are more people behind bars for a drug offense than any other offense, most of those convicted aren’t high level drug dealers or users, and have no prior criminal record for a violent offense (The Sentencing Project). In 1994, the president at the time, Bill Clinton, issued the “1994 Crime Bill” which is federally known to be the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. The Crime Bill authorized $12.5 billion to states to allow them to increase incarceration (Brooke Eisen, Chettiar). Unfortunately, 20 states took advantage of the money given to them for this purpose. A large portion of blame for the dramatic rise in prison populations can be linked to the Crime Bill alone. There are far too many people in today’s time that are being carelessly thrown into jails and prisons. …show more content…
2.2 million men, women, and youth are incarcerated in the United States right now (The Sentencing Project). The U.S. accounts for 5% of the world’s population, yet 22% of the world’s imprisoned population (Mass Incarceration). Mass incarceration has reached an increase of over 500% within the last 40 years (The Sentencing Project). Not only are more people being carelessly thrown into jails and prisons, but the number of people that are being released is less and not nearly equal to the number of inmates coming in because people are also being sentenced to longer terms. The $12.5 billion given to states with the 1994 Crime Bill “required inmates to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences” which is in part why sentences are longer served in the justice system (Brooke Eisen, Chettiar). These approaches aren’t significantly helping to achieve public safety, if there is any progress being made at all, but does, however, create overcrowding in jails and prisons. Another issue with mass incarceration is race because it is not an equal problem between all races and prohibits progress amongst “minority” communities, particularly the black and Hispanic ones. …show more content…
For example, 67% of black Americans make up the prison population, although 37% of blacks are accredited to the U.S. population (The Sentencing Project). Evidence shows that black Americans are more likely to be arrested, convicted, sentenced, and face harsher sentences than white Americans. Black males are nearly 6 times more likely to be incarcerated as white men and Hispanic men are 2.3 times more likely vs. the white male (The Sentencing Project). Money makes the world go ‘round, and money is the number one reason why America is in debt today. So why is so much money put into prisons? About $70 billion dollars are spent on corrections yearly (Criminal Justice), and that breaks down to anywhere between $20-$50 thousand dollars a year to keep each individual behind bars. Yet prisons and jails alike require a growing funding system of the almost $200 billion that is annually spent on public safety (Criminal Justice). For the obvious reasons of money circulation and beliefs of achieving public safety, some are in favor of mass incarceration. Although the money given to jails and prisons hinders
Mass incarceration is an indication of the downfall of America because too many people are carelessly thrown into jails and prisons, it prohibits progress amongst “minority” communities, and hinders the country’s economy by increasing unnecessary debt. Although some are opposed to limiting mass incarceration because they believe it may hinder public safety, it is not the most effective route to reaching public safety.
Mass incarceration has only become a major issue in the United States within the past 40 years. Once one is in the hands of the legal system you are forced to work for the prison, which is considered a legal form of slavery. For this reason, many believe that the rise in incarcerated beings is an attempt to bring slavery back. One major reason for the increase in incarcerated people can be linked to the War on Drugs in 1982. 41,000 people were sent to jails or prisons in 1982 for drug related offenses (The Sentencing Project). In 2014, almost half a million people were sentenced for the same general offenses. Today, those incarcerated for a drug conviction can make up half of the prison population at the federal level. Although there are more people behind bars for a drug offense than any other offense, most of those convicted aren’t high level drug dealers or users, and have no prior criminal record for a violent offense (The Sentencing Project). In 1994, the president at the time, Bill Clinton, issued the “1994 Crime Bill” which is federally known to be the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. The Crime Bill authorized $12.5 billion to states to allow them to increase incarceration (Brooke Eisen, Chettiar). Unfortunately, 20 states took advantage of the money given to them for this purpose. A large portion of blame for the dramatic rise in prison populations can be linked to the Crime Bill alone. There are far too many people in today’s time that are being carelessly thrown into jails and prisons. …show more content…
2.2 million men, women, and youth are incarcerated in the United States right now (The Sentencing Project). The U.S. accounts for 5% of the world’s population, yet 22% of the world’s imprisoned population (Mass Incarceration). Mass incarceration has reached an increase of over 500% within the last 40 years (The Sentencing Project). Not only are more people being carelessly thrown into jails and prisons, but the number of people that are being released is less and not nearly equal to the number of inmates coming in because people are also being sentenced to longer terms. The $12.5 billion given to states with the 1994 Crime Bill “required inmates to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences” which is in part why sentences are longer served in the justice system (Brooke Eisen, Chettiar). These approaches aren’t significantly helping to achieve public safety, if there is any progress being made at all, but does, however, create overcrowding in jails and prisons. Another issue with mass incarceration is race because it is not an equal problem between all races and prohibits progress amongst “minority” communities, particularly the black and Hispanic ones. …show more content…
For example, 67% of black Americans make up the prison population, although 37% of blacks are accredited to the U.S. population (The Sentencing Project). Evidence shows that black Americans are more likely to be arrested, convicted, sentenced, and face harsher sentences than white Americans. Black males are nearly 6 times more likely to be incarcerated as white men and Hispanic men are 2.3 times more likely vs. the white male (The Sentencing Project). Money makes the world go ‘round, and money is the number one reason why America is in debt today. So why is so much money put into prisons? About $70 billion dollars are spent on corrections yearly (Criminal Justice), and that breaks down to anywhere between $20-$50 thousand dollars a year to keep each individual behind bars. Yet prisons and jails alike require a growing funding system of the almost $200 billion that is annually spent on public safety (Criminal Justice). For the obvious reasons of money circulation and beliefs of achieving public safety, some are in favor of mass incarceration. Although the money given to jails and prisons hinders