Research Question
Impact of mass incarceration on poor communities?
Annotated bibliography
Clear, T. R. (2009). Imprisoning communities: How mass incarceration makes disadvantaged neighborhoods worse. Oxford University Press.
The article argues that, of course, it’s reasonable to assume that people would welcome the removal of criminals from their neighbourhood and that they and their property will benefit as a consequence. This is likely accurate in the majority of cases. It’s like pulling a thorn from a delicate foot to get rid of someone who’s been injured by others or doesn’t respect other people’s property. However, this is not usually the case because of the long-term impact that jail time has on people and their communities.
Western, B., & Wildeman, C. (2009). The black family and mass incarceration. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 621(1), 221-242.
The article argues that incarcerated persons may continue to have negative effects after they’ve served their time. Some criminologists feel that removing “too many” criminals from a neighbourhood might hurt the neighbourhood in which they used to reside. In addition, since most jailed individuals return to very similar areas from which they were taken, their mass incarceration also imposes a significant strain on those communities.
DeFina, R., & Hannon, L. (2013). The impact of mass incarceration on poverty. Crime & Delinquency, 59(4), 562-586.
The article argues that the United States remains a racially stratified society in terms of housing despite considerable improvements. Furthermore, the country’s economic stratification persists. In light of the significant rise in incarceration in the United States since the early 1980s, it is not unexpected that poor persons of colour have been detained more than their wealthier counterparts.
Crutchfield, R. D., & Weeks, G. A. (2015). The effects of mass incarceration on communities of color. Issues in Science and Technology, 32(1), 109.
The article explains that felons are disproportionately taken from communities of color where they live, and they return after their terms are completed to the same areas. Coercive mobility is the term criminologists use to describe this population shift. Coercive mobility has the unexpected effect of increasing crime and victimization, despite the efforts of legislators, courts, police, and prosecutors to safeguard residents and communities.
Western, B., & Muller, C. (2013). Mass incarceration, macrosociology, and the poor. The American Academy of Political and Social Science Annals, 647(1), 166-189.
The article argues that Afro-American political leaders helped implement some of the measures made during this time of greater imprisonment for persons of color, with the explicit goal of defending black or brown communities. If you’re caught selling crack cocaine, you’ll get a sentence 100 times longer than you would for the same quantity of powder cocaine since crack is more often sold and consumed by persons of color.
Pattillo, M., Western, B., & Weiman, D. (Eds.). (2004). Imprisoning America: The social effects of mass incarceration. Russell Sage Foundation.
The cite explains that academic experts have been engaged in a lengthy academic discussion regarding race and justice. The key topic is that much of high minority imprisonment results from unequal engagement in criminal conduct or biased law enforcement agencies. This issue is still up for grabs. The predominance of members of minority groups in criminal activity is well-documented. Yet, even with this, the number of persons of color incarcerated in American prisons and jails continues to rise.
The effects of mass incarceration on communities of color. (2021, March 17). Issues in Science and Technology. https://issues.org/effects-mass-incarceration-communities-color/
The cite explains that observers argue that drug selling by African-Americans and Latinos is much more probable to be caught in outdoor public marketplaces than it is by whites because of this. According to research, police prefer to go after open-air drug trade with ethnic sellers rather than white vendors. Minority people and communities have suffered much due to the War on Drugs, and this cannot be explained by the fact that they are overrepresented in this specific kind of criminal conduct.
Incarceration & social inequality. (n.d.). American Academy of Arts & Sciences. https://www.amacad.org/publication/incarceration-social-inequality
The site argues that after completing their terms, the vast majority of criminals will be freed from jail, and the country is at a loss for how to best assist them in reintegrating into society. In most cases, formerly incarcerated individuals are required to return to the county in which they previously resided, which for the most majority of them means living in an impoverished and socially isolated part of town. The publication of huge statistics has exacerbated the situation.
Imprisoning communities: How mass incarceration makes disadvantaged neighborhoods worse. (n.d.). Office of Justice Programs. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/imprisoning-communities-how-mass-incarceration-makes-disadvantaged
The cite explains that many inmates were addicted to drugs or had mental health issues before entering the prison system. There was little or no therapy or counseling for the great majority of these people. At the same time, they were incarcerated due to decreased financing for rehabilitation programs and the closure or reduction of state mental health institutions.
How does mass incarceration affect communities? (2019, December 10). CANO. https://www.ccano.org/blog/how-mass-incarceration-affects-communities/
The cite ellucidates that those with mental health concerns are increasingly housed in prisons and even jails. Other jail health issues, including insufficient mental health treatment and general medical neglect have prompted several lawsuits against the federal and state governments. Prisoners who are released back into their communities find that they are no better off than they were before they were imprisoned, which is a sad reality.