Lecture Summary

Statistics and Context

• US Prison Statistics

  • The US has 5% of the world's population but 25% of the world's prisoners.
  • Prison population increased from 300,000 in 1972 to 2.3 million today.
  • Highest rate of incarceration globally.

• Historical Context

  • History impacts current realities.
  • 13th Amendment loophole allows slavery as punishment for crime.
  • Post-Civil War economic challenges in the South.

Exploitation of the 13th Amendment

• Mass Incarceration and Black Criminality Myth

  • African Americans were criminalized post-Civil War for minor crimes.
  • Used as labor to rebuild Southern economy.
  • Myth of Black criminality was perpetuated.

• Cultural Impact: Birth of a Nation

  • Film reinforced negative stereotypes of African Americans.
  • Contributed to resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan.

Civil Rights Movement and Criminal Justice

• Civil Rights Movement

  • Redefined criminality; arrests became noble.
  • Connected to broader human rights movement.

• Political Exploitation of Crime Rates

  • Rising crime rates post-WWII linked to civil rights movement.
  • Political rhetoric associated civil rights with increased crime.

Nixon, Reagan, and the War on Drugs

• Nixon's Law and Order

  • Southern Strategy used fear of crime to gain political control.
  • War on drugs initially a political strategy.

• Reagan's Intensification

  • Actual war on drugs began under Reagan.
  • Disproportionately affected Black communities.

Mass Incarceration Policies

• Impact of the 1994 Crime Bill

  • Clinton administration expanded incarceration through policies.
  • Introduction of three-strike laws and mandatory minimums.

• Private Prisons and ALEC

  • Private prisons profited from increased incarceration.
  • ALEC influenced legislation to benefit corporate interests.

Racial and Social Control

• Media Influence

  • Media perpetuated stereotypes of Black criminality.
  • Legislations like Stand Your Ground had racial biases.

• Modern Civil Rights Challenges

  • Black Lives Matter movement highlights systemic injustices.
  • Historical context of police violence against Black communities.

Systemic Issues in Criminal Justice

• Inequality in Justice System

  • Wealth influences outcomes more than culpability.
  • Mass incarceration likened to modern-day slavery.

• Economic Interests in Incarceration

  • Prison industrial complex profiting from increased incarceration.
  • Corporations like CCA deeply involved in prison policies.

Conclusion

• Ongoing Racial Injustice
  • Current systems are extensions of historical racial injustices.
  • Need for continuous vigilance and reform efforts.
  • Intersection of race, economics, and politics in incarceration policies.