Mass incarceration is an epidemic, plain and simple. Mass incarceration is a major problem that our criminal justice system has created. Mass incarceration targets minorities, among others, and proves that our court system is discriminatory. Mass incarceration affects all walks of life, not just those who are incarcerated. Taxpayers fund a major portion of the overcapacity within prisons, allowing the epidemic to exist. Mass incarceration is a social issue. Every issue has a solution. In this blog post, I will propose a potential solution to our mass incarceration epidemic.

The experts at American Civil Liberties Union or ACLU (2019) proposed four ideas for prison reform. I will be framing my solution around their first reform idea. From the experts at ACLU (2019), beginning in our court system, we need to “…eliminate incarceration as a penalty for certain classes of low-level, non-violent offenses – especially when these offenses are the result of mental illness, drug addiction or are first-time offenses” (ACLU, 2019, para. 7). Meaning that certain low-level, non-violent offenses should not even constitute the penalty of incarceration.

Low-level, non-violent, and especially first-time offenses should not be punishable by incarceration.

The war on drugs has made the United States the world’s largest incarcerator. Cracking down on drugs has inadvertently targeted poor minority users. While drug laws certainly need to be enforced, these low-level, non-violent, and potentially first-time offenses should not be punished by incarceration – there are other, more effective ways!

Low-level, non-violent, and especially first-time offenders should be rehabilitated instead of incarcerated.

Rehabilitation proves to be an effective method in preventing recidivism. Recidivism is when an offender offends again, finding themselves as a constant presence within the criminal justice system. Low-level, non-violent offenses are where many chronic offenders begin their criminal careers. If we correct the deviant behavior when it begins with low-level, non-violent offenses, we may likely also prevent someone from becoming a chronic offending, career criminal. Rehabilitation programs for low-level, non-violent or first-time offenders will differ based on the crimes committed. For example, using the examples from ACLU (2019), if the low-level, non-violent offense is the result of a mental illness, the offender will be guided to mental help such as counseling, therapy, and potentially medication. If the low-level, non-violent offense is a drug offense, the offender will be guided to rehabilitation centers or take drug classes, whether it be Alcoholics Anonymous or other classes pertaining to a particular drug (ACLU, 2019, para. 7). This solution will require policies to be changed.

Policies in which allow incarceration to be an option for these low-level, non-violent, first-time offenses should be abolished.

By making it impossible for these low-level, non-violent, and first-time offenses to be punished by incarceration, incarceration rates will directly decrease. This will prevent inmates from experiencing the negative affects of overcrowding within prisons. From Penal Reform International, “Overcrowding, as well as related problems such as lack of privacy, can also cause or exacerbate mental health problems, and increase rates of violence, self-harm and suicide” (Penal Reform International, 2012, para. 3). Likewise, the chance for an offender to be rehabilitated and supported will aid that individual in steering away from a life of crime.

Low-level, non-violent, and especially first-time offenders need our help and support.

Policies need to be changed.

Mass incarceration must end.

I recently was given an assignment that entailed doing field research for my research paper. In order to accomplish this, I can either do the research online or in person. For my topic about racial disparities in our criminal justice system’s prison sentencing, I believe that it would be best to take to social media in order to gain opinions from the masses. As such, I have decided to use Twitter as a vehicle for finding a multitude of different opinions regarding racial disparities present within our criminal justice and prison systems.

Twitter is a social media application that is used by over 300 million people worldwide. In the United States alone, over 60 million people use Twitter. Also, Twitter was the best choice in a social media platform as opposed to Facebook or Instagram because Twitter is more conversation-based, as threads can be made under any tweet. All tweets a public, which can allow any person to comment on it to express their own opinion on the matter. Likewise, Twitter utilizes hashtags that categorize current and popular trends and news matters. While on Twitter, I am hoping to find at least two hashtags that pertain to racial disparities in our criminal justice and prison systems.

Likewise, I am hoping to find hashtags that created a movement. Many times with hashtags, they get tweeted so much that they end up trending, in essence, starting a movement based on what the hashtag pertains to. Many important hashtags trend that reflect the current issues that happen around the world. These hashtags get people talking and listening. I am hoping to find a hashtag like that because it will show that our criminal justice and prison systems are both in need of reform and repair.

The opinion of the public matters the most, in my mind. Therefore, I would like to know what the public thinks about our current criminal justice and prison systems. I am expecting that the majority of people will agree with me in believing that our criminal justice and prison systems are gravely broken. I am hoping to understand why the people of Twitter may think our criminal justice system is broken. I am also hoping to hear recommendations or ideas from the public that entail how we can fix or improve our criminal justice and prison systems.

I am aware that my topic is a hot topic. Because of this, I believe that Twitter will be the perfect place to do field research about my topic.

I have recently been researching topics regarding racial disparities that are present within our criminal justice system. I have focused my research around revealing disparities towards African American and Hispanic men in comparison to white American men.

I found an amazing study regarding the disproportionate prison rates between African American, Hispanic, and white American men. The article is entitled The Color of Justice: Racial and Ethnic Disparity in State Prisons written by American University graduate, Ashley Nellis, Ph.D.

In this study, Nellis (n.d.) unveiled the disproportionate numbers of African American and Hispanic men that are incarcerated in state prisons in comparison to white American men. From Nellis (n.d.):

“African Americans are incarcerated in state prisons at a rate that is 5.1 times the imprisonment of whites. In five states (Iowa, Minnesota, New Jersey, Vermont, and Wisconsin), the disparity is more than 10 to 1″ and “Latinos are imprisoned at a rate that is 1.4 times the rate of whites. Hispanic/white ethnic disparities are particularly high in states such as Massachusetts (4.3:1), Connecticut (3.9:1), Pennsylvania (3.3:1), and New York (3.1:1)” (Nellis, n.d., para. 5 & 10).

The rates, to me, proved astonishing. Sadly enough though, I was not surprised. It remains evident to myself and many others that the United States’ criminal justice system is flawed and discriminates against minorities. African Americans and Hispanics have proved to receive the most discrimination from our criminal justice system, which I why I chose to focus my research upon those groups in comparison to whites.

Likewise, Nellis (n.d.) goes on to explain three factors that contribute to the racial and ethnic disparities that she uncovered from her study. Nellis (n.d.) also provides recommendations for reform in order to combat and potentially end these disparities. Nellis (n.d.) displays her data using ratios, maps, and graphs in order to allow her multitude of data to be easily read and understood.

Nellis’ (n.d.) study is an amazing source as her statistics cannot be ignored. The disparities against African Americans and Hispanics are present within every state in America, according to Nellis’ (n.d.) research. These disparities and disproportionate rates should not be ignored any longer. Change is needed. Literature alike Nellis’ (n.d.) allows the conversation to be started.

Citation: Nellis, A., Ph.D. (n.d.). The color of justice: Racial and ethnic disparity in state prisons. Retrieved from https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/color-of-justice-racial-and-ethnic-disparity-in-state-prisons/

Every person who is passionate about a specific topic has a backstory as to how they became so deeply invested in that particular topic. I have many reasons for being so devoted in the restoration of our criminal justice system. Specifically, what I would like to focus on with this blog is:

Racial disparities within the United States’ criminal justice system.

Racial disparities exist in our criminal justice system through the use of many tactics. Possible reasons for those will come at a later time, however, why am I so passionate about this topic? Ever since I became an active user of social media and technology, I have noticed, on many occasions, different instances of racial disparities within our criminal justice system. I received my first phone at about age 13, so much has occurred. I am also constantly reading credible articles that notify the public of possible racial disparities within our CJS.

Specifically, racial disparities seem to target African American and Hispanic men. Some examples that I vividly remember include:

Trayvon Martin

Michael Brown

Eric Garner

All young, African American men who were killed by police officers, where charges were not brought against the officers. Though these instances could be considered recent happenings, racial disparities in our CJS are not new; They have been ongoing for decades. More examples will soon come.

These disparities and this topic hits home for me for many reasons:

They are senseless, preventable, tragic, and racist acts of violence against minorities.

Even through protests, petitions, and literature, almost nothing has been done in an attempt by those in power to amend these tragedies and those alike.

I, myself, am Hispanic, so these attacks could happen to my own family. Terrifying.

I will be a member of the United States criminal justice system through my career; I do not want to feed into these disparities.

Our CJS should not target any group.

Our CJS should be fair and inclusive.

Our CJS is directly promoting a white supremacist culture by not holding those in power, such as police officers, accountable.

Our CJS treats minorities as an afterthought while at the same time, dishing out white privilege.

In all, through many reports and statistics, it became clear to me, as it should be for anybody, that there is certainly something wrong with our criminal justice system. The disparities cannot be ignored, though they are constantly being pushed under the rug. I will forever remain hopeful that something will change, however now, I am attempting to take whatever action I can, no matter how small.