UNITED STATES PRISON SYSTEM
Various ways in which the US prison system is structured by racism and profit motives
The meaning and nature of Incarceration in the United States have had a significant change in a variety of ways that brings a far-reaching insinuation. Imprisonment in the US has become a vital form of punishment and rehabilitation for people who commit offences. In fact, research show that the US has the largest prison in the world. The criminal justice system ha reported holding more than 2.5 million people at a time. Most offenses concern drugs and since the drug war started, two thirds of prisoners are drug offenders. The drug war in the United States began to back in the 1970s when drug abuse was declared as a public enemy. The primary purpose of this war was to combat the use of illegal drugs. Increased penalties for drug offenders were enforced, and incarceration was introduced. Nevertheless, drawing primarily on Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow, and Angela Davis’ Are Prisons Obsolete, it is clear that the US custodial structure is now structured by racism and profit motivations drive it.
In Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” talks about the US prison system and its correctional system. The colourblindness here means that race should never be considered necessary. People should focus on the person rather than their racial identity. Mass incarceration is compared to Jim Crow laws that upheld disparity even after the civil war. Some measures that are punitive and are associated with being labelled a criminal appear on the surface. Wearing this label has severe effects on the Jim Crow laws. Alexander (2010) has viewed social control based on race from a historical perspective. She hints the patterns of oppression through the racial caste system. It all starts from slavery to Jim Crow, and they come to the present mass incarceration. Racial caste is defined as a form of stigmatizing a racial group locked into and lesser position by custom and law. This idea of the caste system is in unadorned contrast with the colourblindness concept. This is because sometimes people find being colourblind a bit advantageous. If there was fairness in the world and the judicial system was colourblind, then the crime control would treat the lawbreakers equally. The number of people imprisoned will consist of individuals from all races, and therefore the colour will be irrelevant.
The truth is colourblindness is a concept that seems legalized in the US. Imprisonment rate is very high, and black people form a significant number in those prisons. Mass confinement is there and brings the contradiction of increasing chances for blacks in economic and political arenas among others during an era of imaginary colourblindness. In the US, there always has restrictions for advancements and equality for blacks, which is very dangerous. Besides, black people receive longer prison sentences, and they never receive the benefits of probation (Alexander 2010). There is a shift in prisons from having many whites to the majority of blacks. We have the challenge to answer a question on why most of us choose to consider race in mass incarceration. No one can deny the issues of racism when it comes to mass incarceration. More than half of the population there are African American. The white community feels threatened by blacks who are outside there, competing for jobs. There are questions on whether the colourblind concept is a reality in society. This is because it is argued that colourblindness is sometimes necessary so that we can acknowledge racial differences.
The Jim Crow statutes were used to provide a legal means of ensuring that there was never equality between blacks and whites (Alexander 2010). Lawmakers and politicians talk openly on actions that promote having adverse effects against blacks when addressing the matters of crime. They find it unavoidable to mention race in their conversations. However, the new Jim Crow brings a challenge to the civil rights public and everyone to place mass confinement at the lead and start a new measure to seek racial justice.
On the war of drugs, the police point at blacks as the main people involved; hence, they end up facing the criminal justice system. The amendment of human rights has always been violated and eroded by the supreme court. They have changed the circumstances under which police can search for drugs even without people’s consent. Therefore, the war on drugs only involves the African Americans and Latino communities but excludes the whites (Alexander 2010). Furthermore, racism has gone to the extent that, when the African American get arrested, they go through a judicial system that does not allow them to go for a trial before judgement. People who have committed drug offences are given a mandatory sentence. During the period of imprisonment, there is significant harm to the inmate and their family members.
According to Michelle Alexander (2010), Jim Crows prevented the blacks from accessing basic need like housing, employment, and education, among others. After these people complete their imprisonment period, it becomes hard for them to secure a job or even house because one must declare their status as convicted people. Also, these people face stigmatization from society.
Mass incarceration is also said to be associated with a class. Most people involved are representatives from the minority groups in society. This stands for people who usually experience social and economic difficulties, particularly from the communities of colour.
In addition to racism, there are private prisons that are driven by profits. Drawing from Angela Davis’ Are Prisons Obsolete, the current system of imprisonment and punishment seems to be out of control. It is not practical. It cannot act as a way of equalizing people and making them feel safe and secure. Davis (2003) believes that incarceration is made to harm society rather than helping. Prisons are an obsolete institution because instead of fixing the problems in society, they end up making things worse. The most significant number of prisoners are from racially oppressed communities. They are usually isolated, go through violence and contact diseases.
The prison industrial complex reveals how prisons are growing. Private prisons are also increasing. These prisons take a fee so that they can hold prisoners. This is to ensure that prisons are kept full and ensure continued expansion. This raises a lot of questions about how a private company can incarcerate people. It is believed that imprisoning people is governments job. However, the government seems to of contracting with the private prisons to help them hold the overwhelming number of prisoners (Davis 2003). Locking so many people in prisons does not mean that the world is now safe and secure. It goes to the extent that other corporations have started making money by selling their products within these facilities.
The private prison companies are a component of the incasing unfair judgment on crimes. Therefore, since the US prison system is based on discrimination and its profit-oriented, it was better if prisons were replaced with other institutions like schools, recreation programs, healthcare and doing training for jobs. The society seems not to benefit from prisons. Prisons seem to be obsolete because you find more people in prisons who suffer a mental illness that those in psychiatric hospitals.
Davis argues that there is a need to abolish prisons to build a society that is based on equality. We should try to think prisons as a way of solving the problems in society. Having no alternatives for prisons will create less crime. It is good to focus on building a community where there is no need for prisons. Imprisonment should not be the only alternative for crime punishments. The society should change the way it addresses crime and focuses on transforming the community.
Since the US penal system is full of racism and profit-oriented, mass incarceration will never be the only solution to unemployment and many other social problems that lead to crime. Racism has prevented our ability to see prisons as a critical measure of public safety. Instead of keeping on expanding the punishment system, we should focus on building a community that defends prisoners human rights. Instead of fighting to get new prisons, Angela argues that we should fight to get a new healthcare system, schools, and programs to combat drug abuse.
References
Alexander, Michelle. 2010. The New Jim Crow. [Place of publication not identified]: The
New Press.
Davis, Angela Y. 2003. Are Prisons Obsolete?. New York: Seven Stories.