Overview
This lecture reviews the historic rise, underlying causes, and far-reaching effects of mass incarceration in the United States, highlighting demographic disparities, key policy drivers, and ongoing reforms and challenges.
The Scale and Growth of Mass Incarceration
- Over five million people are under criminal system supervision in the US, with nearly two million in prisons and jails.
- The prison population rose from 360,000 in the early 1970s to a peak in 2009, a seven-fold increase.
- The US has one of the highest incarceration rates globally, far exceeding Canada and Mexico.
- Prison population began declining in 2010, with a 14% drop in 2020 during COVID-19, but rose again by 2% in 2022.
Causes and Consequences
- Policy changes, not crime rates, drove the growth in incarceration.
- Mass incarceration negatively affects physical, mental, and economic health of individuals, families, and communities.
- Children of incarcerated parents face significant declines in education and health.
- High incarceration undermines community networks and trust in law enforcement.
Probation, Parole, and Offense Types
- Numbers and duration of probation and parole have increased over recent decades.
- In 2022, 63% of state prisoners were convicted of violent offenses, up from 30% in 1970.
- Nearly half of federal prisoners are incarcerated for drug offenses.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities
- Nearly 7 in 10 prisoners are people of color; one in five Black men born in 2001 are expected to be imprisoned.
- Black adults have a significantly higher risk of imprisonment than other groups.
- Disparities are even greater among those serving life or long sentences.
Sentencing Policies and Reforms
- Mandatory minimums, three-strikes, and harsh drug laws (e.g., Anti-Drug Abuse Act, Sentencing Reform Act) worsened disparities and sentence lengths.
- Crack vs. powder cocaine sentencing led to greater racial disparities.
- The Fair Sentencing Act (2010) and First Step Act (2019) reduced some sentencing disparities and enabled retroactive relief.
Women and Youth in the System
- Women's prison population increased over 17-fold since 1970, now over 82,000; recent growth outpaces men.
- The number of youth in adult prisons declined 83% from 2000 to 2021, but rose sharply in 2022.
- Transferring youth to adult court increased risks and recidivism without public safety benefit.
Life and Long-Term Sentences
- One in seven prisoners is serving a life sentence; numbers of life without parole (LWOP) sentences have greatly increased.
- Many prisoners serve over a decade; long sentences offer diminishing public safety returns.
- Black Americans are overrepresented among those serving 10+ years and LWOP.
Voting Rights
- Felony convictions result in loss of voting rights in 48 states, affecting over 4.4 million Americans.
- Disenfranchisement rates are highest among African Americans at nearly 5%.
Lessons Learned
- Policies driven by moral panic and flawed theories (e.g., superpredator) were counterproductive.
- Addressing structural inequalities, investing in prevention, and focusing on restoration over punishment can reduce mass incarceration.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Mass incarceration — The large-scale imprisonment of the population, especially since the 1970s, due to policy choices.
- Mandatory minimums — Laws requiring fixed minimum sentences for certain crimes.
- Life without parole (LWOP) — A sentence where the individual is never eligible for release.
- Probation — Court-ordered community supervision in place of incarceration.
- Parole — Conditional early release from prison under supervision.
- Disenfranchisement — Loss of voting rights due to a felony conviction.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review figures and charts on prison population trends, disparities, and offense types as referenced in the lecture.
- Reflect on the impact of sentencing policies on communities and consider policy alternatives for reform.