Tabitha Jackson
SPC 3513
Dr. Lindsay
December 2, 2015
Our Prison Population
The United States has more citizens incarcerated than any other country in the world (ACLU). According to the American Civil Liberties Union, between 1978 and 2014, the prison population grew over 400% (ACLU). This number means that one in 110 people in the United States are incarcerated in our prisons or local jails (ACLU). An even more staggering number, one in 35 people in the United States is under some type of correctional control, from jail, parole, or probation (ACLU).
Why should you listen to me on this issue? Well, I am not the only one calling for a change when it comes to our prison system. Reputable organizations such as the NAACP, American Civil Liberties …show more content…
With that being said, I also want law enforcement putting people behind bars that deserve to be there. I think we can all agree that we would rather have a cell occupied by a violent criminal that possesses a threat to society, over a nonviolent drug related “criminal.” In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan introduced his “War on Drugs.” Beginning immediately, drug related offenders began to fill our cells and court systems (Criminal Justice Degree Hub). The number of inmates being jailed for drug related offenses went from 41,000 in the 1980s to 500,000 in 2011 (Criminal Justice Degree Hub). These numbers mean that drug offenders account for 25% of the total inmate population (Criminal Justice Degree Hub). Similar to the numbers above, in the 1980s, arrests for drug offenses were around the 500,000 mark. Now, the number of arrests for drug offenses is over 1.5 million. You might be surprised to learn that during this time, the crime rate was actually falling, but prisoners increased due to drug related …show more content…
The United States Department of Labor runs a program called The Work Opportunity Tax Credit, or WOTC, which gives employers who agree to hire target groups of people a tax credit in return. According to WOTC, about $1 billion in tax credits are given out each year to employers (WOTC). These target groups include unemployed and/or disabled veterans, food stamp recipients, designated community residents, and ex-felons (WOTC). To quality for these tax credits, employers must hire ex-felons within one year of them being released from prison (WOTC).
Just last month, President Barack Obama announced an order to ban the bias by employers when it came to hiring ex-convicts seeking federal jobs (NBC). This ban would take place immediately and “ban the box,” the box being the box required by applicants to check off whether they have a criminal record or not (NBC). While HR departments are able to find out an applicant’s criminal record later on during the hiring process, banning the box should decrease the number of applicants that are turned away because of discrimination.
SPC 3513
Dr. Lindsay
December 2, 2015
Our Prison Population
The United States has more citizens incarcerated than any other country in the world (ACLU). According to the American Civil Liberties Union, between 1978 and 2014, the prison population grew over 400% (ACLU). This number means that one in 110 people in the United States are incarcerated in our prisons or local jails (ACLU). An even more staggering number, one in 35 people in the United States is under some type of correctional control, from jail, parole, or probation (ACLU).
Why should you listen to me on this issue? Well, I am not the only one calling for a change when it comes to our prison system. Reputable organizations such as the NAACP, American Civil Liberties …show more content…
With that being said, I also want law enforcement putting people behind bars that deserve to be there. I think we can all agree that we would rather have a cell occupied by a violent criminal that possesses a threat to society, over a nonviolent drug related “criminal.” In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan introduced his “War on Drugs.” Beginning immediately, drug related offenders began to fill our cells and court systems (Criminal Justice Degree Hub). The number of inmates being jailed for drug related offenses went from 41,000 in the 1980s to 500,000 in 2011 (Criminal Justice Degree Hub). These numbers mean that drug offenders account for 25% of the total inmate population (Criminal Justice Degree Hub). Similar to the numbers above, in the 1980s, arrests for drug offenses were around the 500,000 mark. Now, the number of arrests for drug offenses is over 1.5 million. You might be surprised to learn that during this time, the crime rate was actually falling, but prisoners increased due to drug related …show more content…
The United States Department of Labor runs a program called The Work Opportunity Tax Credit, or WOTC, which gives employers who agree to hire target groups of people a tax credit in return. According to WOTC, about $1 billion in tax credits are given out each year to employers (WOTC). These target groups include unemployed and/or disabled veterans, food stamp recipients, designated community residents, and ex-felons (WOTC). To quality for these tax credits, employers must hire ex-felons within one year of them being released from prison (WOTC).
Just last month, President Barack Obama announced an order to ban the bias by employers when it came to hiring ex-convicts seeking federal jobs (NBC). This ban would take place immediately and “ban the box,” the box being the box required by applicants to check off whether they have a criminal record or not (NBC). While HR departments are able to find out an applicant’s criminal record later on during the hiring process, banning the box should decrease the number of applicants that are turned away because of discrimination.