Control of Black populations and other minority groups was implemented by the War on Drugs beginning in 1971, which enacted the birth of mass incarceration. According to one article, the term drug war “refers to the use of a law enforcement approach to deter or punish users, sellers, and producers of illicit drugs.” (Scherlen, 2012) This war on drugs policy has been a debatable and questionable one, and history has shown that people of color continue to be targeted by this it. Additionally, African Americans and other minorities have been treated unfairly by the system, as a research study done on Texas felony drug offenders would reflect, “The probability of receiving prison time was greater and sentences were longer for African Americans...”
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As one scholarly journal states, “The patterns and rates of incarceration of people of color are consistent with the historical repression of people of color in the United States.” (Messeh, 2000) Meaning this policy is present day slavery. Today’s prisoners are looked down upon as inherently belonging to the system, like slaves who belonged to their owners whether by being sold or by common nature of birth. This seems to be a repeating trend, whereas times have changed but systems have not. Likewise, people who derive from a disadvantaged background are oppressed and exploited by the criminal justice system that is leading to mass incarceration of people of color. What saddens me is that the system does not give an importance to the rest of the people who are affected by this mistreatment. The system is breaking family’s apart, disturbing relationships between people and their communities, and most importantly disenfranchising those involved with someone that has been in close contact with the justice system from the rest of …show more content…
Small initiatives are already being taken in some states of the United States for instance the New York Times reported that the New York Police Department will no longer be arresting individuals for possession low amounts of marijuana. What they are going to do instead is issue tickets to people found with possession of the drug. (2014) Known for its excessive stop-and-frisk practices, New York is moving towards being a less extreme state than they have been in the past and a more fair criminal justice system. Although, there are worries in place that the “possible effect of the new policy would be that many of the tickets later convert into arrest warrants if the person misses a court date.”(2014). These doubts are reasonable, since court statistics show that 329,198 cases failed to show up to court about one fourth of the time in 2013. But we have to look at the big picture; the law enforcers that would usually conduct stop-and-frisk practices could use those funds, resources and enforcement towards bigger crimes like white-collar crimes in the
As one scholarly journal states, “The patterns and rates of incarceration of people of color are consistent with the historical repression of people of color in the United States.” (Messeh, 2000) Meaning this policy is present day slavery. Today’s prisoners are looked down upon as inherently belonging to the system, like slaves who belonged to their owners whether by being sold or by common nature of birth. This seems to be a repeating trend, whereas times have changed but systems have not. Likewise, people who derive from a disadvantaged background are oppressed and exploited by the criminal justice system that is leading to mass incarceration of people of color. What saddens me is that the system does not give an importance to the rest of the people who are affected by this mistreatment. The system is breaking family’s apart, disturbing relationships between people and their communities, and most importantly disenfranchising those involved with someone that has been in close contact with the justice system from the rest of …show more content…
Small initiatives are already being taken in some states of the United States for instance the New York Times reported that the New York Police Department will no longer be arresting individuals for possession low amounts of marijuana. What they are going to do instead is issue tickets to people found with possession of the drug. (2014) Known for its excessive stop-and-frisk practices, New York is moving towards being a less extreme state than they have been in the past and a more fair criminal justice system. Although, there are worries in place that the “possible effect of the new policy would be that many of the tickets later convert into arrest warrants if the person misses a court date.”(2014). These doubts are reasonable, since court statistics show that 329,198 cases failed to show up to court about one fourth of the time in 2013. But we have to look at the big picture; the law enforcers that would usually conduct stop-and-frisk practices could use those funds, resources and enforcement towards bigger crimes like white-collar crimes in the