mass inc 2 Essays - Drug Policy Of The United States, Free Essays

mass inc 2 Essays - Drug Policy Of The United States, Free Essays Year after year, the United States beats out much larger countries for have the largest incarceration rate in the world.The problem is evident, the next step is finding a solution. James Kilgore believe to have found the solution in his book , "Understandi ng Mass Incarceration : A People's Guide to the Key Civil Rights Struggle of Our Time". He defines mass incarceration as "one of this country's key strategies for addressing problems of poverty, inequality, unemployment, racial conflict, citizenship, sexua lity, and gender, as well as crime. Hence, when we talk about mass incarceration, we are not speaking only of prison cells or the War on Drugs. A philosophy, a history, and a trail of profit and investment lurk behind the statistics.Ultimately , mass incarc eration is about opportunitynew opportunities for profit and political power for some and the denial of opportunity to others, largely poor people of color". Kilgore says that "campaigns against draconian dru g prosecutions, mobilizations to "ban the b ox" on employment applications for those with felony convictions, efforts to block jail construction in large urban centers and small Midwestern towns" (Kilgore 5 ) will all represent paths to undermining or fundamentally altering mass incarceration. Kilg ore first wants to campaign against draconian drug prosecutions. "Prosecution of drug cases has stood at the heart of both the expansion of the prison population and the philosophical shift to a more punitive system since the late 1970s. While the sentenci ng laws formed a crucial part of the implementation of mass incarceration, the chief vehicle to put those laws into effect " the war on drugs (Kilgore 39). "Moreover, virtually all aspects of the War on Drugs were and are heavily racialized. Violent raids on suspected drug operations were disproportionately targeted at working- class African American and Latino communities that were already impoverished by high rates of unemployment and declining systems of education and social services" which just happen to be the two races who are also highly represented in the prison system to this day (Kilgore 56).Kilgore believe that drug prosecutions should be only result in jail time if they are violent, Drug prosecut ions have been proven to be racially motivated. "B lacks and whites use marijuana at about the same rate, but Blacks are four to five times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession." the ACLU study found that in every single state Blacks had higher arrest rates than whites for marijuana possessi on. ( Kilgoe 67). Kilgore and Jacobson have a similar stance on this argument and I agree with them both. If a drug charge is not violent, there should be a focus on the root of the problem and rehabilitation rather than throwing the person in jail. Second ly, Kilgore calls to "ban the box" on employment applications for those with felony convictions. "As part of screening for criminal background, many employers ask candidates to check "the box" on job applications if they have ever been convicted of a crime ."(Kilgore 75). Kilgore argues that this box discriminates against people who admit to having a criminal record, often leading to their disqualification from the selection process. "As a result of these concerns, campaigns against the box have resulted in a number of cities, counties, and states passing "Ban the Box" measures" which outlaw the use of the question about criminal background on job applications and usually permit the employer to ask about criminal background only once a job offer is on the tab le .( Kilgore 78). This affects mass incarceration because if an former inmate is released from jail and doesn't find a job they may be forced back until the lifestyle that got them in trouble in the first place. I agree with Kilgore opinion to ban the box. This only helps someone discriminate and eliminate people during the hiring process. If a person is well equipped and favored for a job, only then should the employer be notified of their criminal history. This at least give people a fighting chance for jo bs rather being kicked out in the elimination process. Lastly Kilgore calls to block jail construction in large urban centers and small Midwestern towns."While mass incarceration played