Mass Incarceration began in the 1980s during the Reagan Era

Mass Incarceration

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Abstract

Mass Incarceration began in the 1980s during the Reagan Era. This time is distinguished as the beginning of the “War on Drugs[JA1]”. During this time, imposing harsh sentences for minor crimes became the status quo, thus disproportionately impacting communities of color-incarcerating men of color. My research project seeks to incorporate qualitative and quantitative data that illustrate how the criminal justice system has created complex structures of discriminatory practices. These practices disenfranchise and create circumstances of inequitably in the daily lives of black and brown men. Furthermore, my research aims to demonstrate that mass incarceration disintegrates families of color, extending the damage and propagation of imprisonment.   [JA2] 

Introduction

Arguably, the United States has the largest prison population per capita globally[JA3]. There are approximately 7 million individuals in the American prison system[JA4]. The rates of incarcerated individuals continue to grow astronomically. The growth in the penal system is a direct result of repressive legislation. This growing growth can be attributed to the legalization of drugs, and the war on terror. It is possible that the prison system may never reach a critical mass since the prisons are overpopulated, and it has become more expensive to house more people. The United States federal prison population grew by 266% between 1980-1995. In this time period, there was a significant increase in incarceration rates for African-Americans (who make up 12% of U.S. population) [JA5]. The rate of incarceration is also higher in major cities such as New York City (12/1,000) compared with rural areas (3/1,000) [JA6].

The phenomenon of mass incarceration historically was launched in the early 1980’s and continues to intensify. Mass incarceration is a direct result of stricter sentencing guidelines for drug offenders. The growth in the prison systems was most pervasive during the crack era. The crack era initiated an anti-drug campaign to dismantle poor communities of color. At this time, we saw the hyper-criminalization of men of color and distributing narratives used to subjugate them as super predators relegating them to second-class citizenship. [JA5] The crack era was politized and utilized as a fear-fueled instrument for politicians to get elected to public governmental office. Consequently, men of color become hyper-represented as crack users and crack dealers, hence responsible for the wave of crime and deprivation in their communities (Nast, 2020). Black and Brown men were and continue to be primarily the bodies occupying the cold spaces of prison cells.

Why is this problem relevant to social work?

Social Workers play integral roles in our society. These roles come in macro, mezzo, and micro efforts. At a macro-level social work involves large-scale interventions/advocacy affecting communities, states, and the country. At a macro-level social work seeks to effectuate change by bringing visibility to systems of inequality, inequity, discrimination, and often racist practices. In the case of mass incarceration, macro-level quantitative work conceptualizes measurements, statistical, mathematical, or numerical data. This information could give context to why criminal justice reform needs mobilization and a great deal of advocacy. [JA6]

A mezzo-level of social work involves community development, advocacy and activism. At this level social workers strive to empower individuals, communities, and groups by bringing visibility to their struggles and survival strategies. For example, a mezzo level response would involve organizing community activists in the Bronx within their neighborhoods, spreading information about mass incarceration to educate them about the problem and network with like-minded organizations. A Mezzo-level approach would actively engage with networks such as political lobbying groups that focus on changing laws pertaining to criminal justice reform. This level of intervention provides vital information for policy and legislative changes that need advocacy mobilized at local, state, or federal levels.[JA7]

Social workers can also work directly with individuals who are incarcerated. Social work is a field that often deals with seeking social justice. One area of justice that has recently been in the news a lot is mass incarceration. The United States incarcerates more people than any other country in the world, with 2 million incarcerated people as of 2014 (Cox, 2020). How does this issue relate to social workers? There are many ways! Social workers can help address this issue by working directly with individuals who are incarcerated and by advocating for changes to our system of incarceration. Moreover, many social workers deal with prison issues on a daily basis! They may be employed by an organization as part of their main job responsibilities or they could volunteer at a prison or jail ministry.

In many states like Alabama, nearly one in four people is either in jail or state prison. The number of incarcerated people has risen dramatically since 1980 and the percentage of the population that is behind bars has increased by more than 1/3 from 1980 to 2014 (Cox, 2020). In spite of this, some social workers may be totally unaware of the growing problem. There are countless news reports detailing the problems associated with mass incarceration including recidivism, high costs for prisons and jails and a lack of rehabilitation programs. This is not a surprise to social workers! They have often seen this happen firsthand through friends and family members and they may have even worked directly with individuals who are incarcerated or know friends who have been incarcerated. On top of this, what does this mean for the psychosocial wellbeing of individuals and for their families? How does it affect their ability to move onward in the future? What are the implications for society as a whole if such an enormous number of people are incarcerated? Social workers can contribute to the conversation surrounding this issue by becoming experts on these issues, bringing it into their practice and advocating for solutions.

Each person who is incarcerated has his or her own unique story. There are many reasons why someone may be incarcerated, but all of these stories have one thing in common: they need help. Social workers can use their skills and knowledge to assist individuals who are currently incarcerated but also releases who are newly released back into society. Every person who has been incarcerated deserves the opportunity to be transformed. Every individual should be able to transition back into his or her community and begin making a positive difference.

Social workers can work with individuals or families to promote safety and mental wellbeing living in the community. This can include providing support once they have been released, helping them identify resources, reconnecting them to the community, working with schools and other community agencies, and addressing feelings of shame and anger that often lead to negative behaviors when a person has been incarcerated.

In 2010, President Obama signed an executive order that reformed mandatory minimum sentences for many drug offenders who are convicted after August 20th 2011 (Cox, 2020). This change has not been without criticism. Many opponents of this reform are worried that once these individuals are released they will continue to sell drugs. This is a valid concern as many of them have no other marketable skills and may be dealing with mental health or substance abuse issues that contributed to their criminal behavior in the past. Yet, not all will relapse and in many cases, the risk of relapse can be reduced if proper support is provided and if the person continues to take anti-drug treatment or engages in voluntary community substance abuse programs once released.

Social workers can play a vital role in making sure these individuals receive needed support. Some social workers also work directly with children and families who have incarcerated members. In fact, across the country there are over 11 million children with a parent who is imprisoned (James, 2021). This is a family issue and not just a criminal justice issue. How does this affect the children? Many of these children live in poverty, often unable to access much needed services due to their family’s limited resources or because they are still living with their parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued recommendations that call for developing policies that provide needed wraparound services to support vulnerable families with an incarcerated parent and providing parenting classes in prisons so incarcerated parents can learn how to effectively parent even while incarcerated.

Social workers play a vital role in helping children and families cope with the situation. They can provide emotional support, offer assistance with accessing social services and legal aid, assist in finding housing, and help children identify appropriate school programs. Social workers can make the transition easier for adults coming out of jail or prison by identifying appropriate support networks that is helpful to their transition back into the community (Western & Muller, 2013).

In addition to adults who are still incarcerated, there are many people serving sentences of different length who will be released at some point. Social work can assist these individuals as they transition back into society by helping them learn about available resources, providing job counseling and placement services, being available for mentoring if needed or assisting in finding housing. In addition, they can help them develop a support network to help them navigate the challenges and stigma that are encountered when returning to society.

Social workers work with individuals who are incarcerated in many different ways, but one way that is often not spoken about is that they may be forced to accept clients who are incarcerated. There are many stories of social workers being forced to do this by their employer or because they feel it is part of their job due to their contract. These stories speak of the fact that social workers do not have control over whom they choose as a client and it can be very stressful for them. It may also pose professional risks for a social worker if they refuse to take on clients who are incarcerated.

Answer-

The Independent variable [JA7] I would be looking at in my research is the various systems that uphold Mass Incarceration. The most crucial factor to examine is systems of inequity, disenfranchisement, and racism. These systems come in discriminatory, biased, and racist legislation institutions’ practices. It is essential to evaluate these systems as change is necessary. I am committed to proving how both independent and dependent variables illustrate how the cause and effect are intertwined. Not only is cause and effect in the case of Mass Incarcerated interconnected, but they are also sustained by each other. Mass Incarceration of men of color can thrive in American society through its insidious systems. One factor cannot be examined without examining the other. It is significant to demonstrate how these systems impact the lives of real people, hence connecting cause in effect as an interdependent phenomenon.

When it comes to the dependent variables [JA9] I will be looking at these systems as contributing factors on incarcerated men of color. The most obvious factor being that of poverty and the lack of access to vital services. These social and economic factors come in the form of educational systems, housing, healthcare, employment and transportation (Cox, 2020). The dependent variables are crucial to my research because they directly reflect how Mass Incarceration has a negative impact on getting employed upon release, housing and even quality education. With such issues many return to prison within a year after release or are unable to shelter their family in a safe environment. These circumstances only amplify the problems by placing more stressors on them while they adjust back into society after incarceration.

The independent and dependent variables are inextricably linked to one another. Both variables are essential to the issue my paper is about. To prove their interconnectedness, I will be employing both theoretical and statistical approaches. It is essential I employ statistics as they help illustrate how real people, not just numbers, are impacted by Mass Incarceration. The statistics will also give additional credibility to my research allowing me to show how these systems impact the lives of real people in comparison with others who do not have to deal with being incarcerated.   

The work of Michelle Alexander does a great job of unpacking-revealing how the criminal justice system operates in maintaining repressive institutions. At the same time, Bryant Stevens shows that fair and just legal representation is not available to all. The work of Michelle Alexander also gives great insight into how racial disparities in education and economic status become a major part of the criminal justice process. Another area that is discussed as a part of this process is gender and the way it impacts mass incarceration (Western & Muller, 2013). These are some of the areas I am going to look at in my research paper. My goal is to show how these systems impact our society, the lives of real people, and what can be done to change this situation. 

References

Nast, C. (2020). Ten Years After “The New Jim Crow”. Retrieved 19 April 2022, from https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-new-yorker-interview/ten-years-after-the-new-jim-crow

Cox, R. (2020). Applying the theory of social good to mass incarceration and civil rights. Research on Social Work Practice, 30(2), 205-218.

James, K. J. (2021). Black Lives, Mass Incarceration, and the Perpetuity of Trauma in the Era of COVID-19: The Road to Abolition Social Work. In Shared Trauma, Shared Resilience During a Pandemic (pp. 281-290). Springer, Cham.

Western, B., & Muller, C. (2013). Mass incarceration, macrosociology, and the poor. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 647(1), 166-189.

(2022). Retrieved 19 April 2022, from https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=sociology_class_publications

(2022). Retrieved 19 April 2022, from https://www.socialworkers.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=n8L3HaALWb8%3D&portalid=0