It is debatable when trying to determine when Mass Incarceration truly began. Most experts argue that it started during the 1970’s, around the time the war on drugs was declared; however African Americans were targeted and viewed as convicts after slavery was abolished (Graff, 2015). In order to better understand Mass Incarceration and its current characteristics, one must analyze the history of what contributed to racial inequality.
One of the many contributions to racial inequality was Slavery; slavery also marked the beginning of the concept of race in the United States (Alexander, 2012). At first glance, the definition of slavery seems self-explanatory, despite this assumption its definition is still widely debated. In 1922 the definition …show more content…
Abraham Lincoln initially vocally expressed no intention on the states individual rights to own slaves because “his personal desires could not overcome the constitutional realities of his age” (Finkelman, 2012). Due to Lincoln’s legislative and constitutional barriers the most his presidential power could achieve was the emancipation proclamation (Alexander, 2012; Finkelman, 2012). During the civil war, Abraham Lincoln slowly attempted to abolish slavery. In April 1862 the District of Columbia Congress was able to abolish slavery, however this still meant that slavery was legal everywhere else throughout the nation. Lincoln progressively started to give African American legal rights such as being able to fight in the civil war (Finkelman, 2012). In December 1865 slavery was finally considered to be unconstitutional through the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment. The Thirteenth Amendment was written as follows: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment of crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction” (Finkelman, …show more content…
Jim Crow laws further marginalized people of color through several oppressive mechanism such as: unequal educational resources, terrorism through racial violence, lynching, and racial caricatures (Loeffler & Sampson, 2010). Through the civil rights movement Jim Crow became less and less prevalent (Alexander, 2012). In 1954 Brown v. Education marked the end of the civil rights movement, however the same year this decision was being made, 100,000 African American were imprisoned (Mauer, Adressing Racial Disparities in Mass Incarceration, 2011). Before education was even equally available a large number of African Americans were stripped away from this right (Mauer, Adressing Racial Disparities in Mass Incarceration, 2011). Regardless of the considerable amount African Americans were incarcerated in 1954, this was not the time the prison population increased drastically. From the 1900’s until the 1970’s the incarceration rate was consistent and this is what most experts call a general equilibrium of imprisonment (McCrary, Sanga , Durlaf, & Sacerdote, 2012). It was during the 1970’s where the prison population started to drastically increase, taking imprisonment to what we know
One of the many contributions to racial inequality was Slavery; slavery also marked the beginning of the concept of race in the United States (Alexander, 2012). At first glance, the definition of slavery seems self-explanatory, despite this assumption its definition is still widely debated. In 1922 the definition …show more content…
Abraham Lincoln initially vocally expressed no intention on the states individual rights to own slaves because “his personal desires could not overcome the constitutional realities of his age” (Finkelman, 2012). Due to Lincoln’s legislative and constitutional barriers the most his presidential power could achieve was the emancipation proclamation (Alexander, 2012; Finkelman, 2012). During the civil war, Abraham Lincoln slowly attempted to abolish slavery. In April 1862 the District of Columbia Congress was able to abolish slavery, however this still meant that slavery was legal everywhere else throughout the nation. Lincoln progressively started to give African American legal rights such as being able to fight in the civil war (Finkelman, 2012). In December 1865 slavery was finally considered to be unconstitutional through the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment. The Thirteenth Amendment was written as follows: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment of crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction” (Finkelman, …show more content…
Jim Crow laws further marginalized people of color through several oppressive mechanism such as: unequal educational resources, terrorism through racial violence, lynching, and racial caricatures (Loeffler & Sampson, 2010). Through the civil rights movement Jim Crow became less and less prevalent (Alexander, 2012). In 1954 Brown v. Education marked the end of the civil rights movement, however the same year this decision was being made, 100,000 African American were imprisoned (Mauer, Adressing Racial Disparities in Mass Incarceration, 2011). Before education was even equally available a large number of African Americans were stripped away from this right (Mauer, Adressing Racial Disparities in Mass Incarceration, 2011). Regardless of the considerable amount African Americans were incarcerated in 1954, this was not the time the prison population increased drastically. From the 1900’s until the 1970’s the incarceration rate was consistent and this is what most experts call a general equilibrium of imprisonment (McCrary, Sanga , Durlaf, & Sacerdote, 2012). It was during the 1970’s where the prison population started to drastically increase, taking imprisonment to what we know