Essay On Mass Incarceration

1305 Words6 Pages
Mass Incarceration…the Solution A man once made a great statement at a not so great time; when describing America’s state of affairs, he said it’s like chickens coming home to roost(X, Malcolm, 1963). This truth is called karma. The actions that are done, the decisions that are made will eventually return to the owner (“Karma”, 2012, “Definition” Para 2). Chickens, many with their heads cut off, is the perfect analogy for the current state of American corrections. During the same time that this utterance was made, the powers that be looked for a solution. What to do with the undesirables? How can the racial caste system be maintain without the sheets and burning crosses (Alexander, Michelle, p. 40). How can the hand of racism maintain its grip, yet become invisible? These questions birthed mass incarceration (Alexander, Michelle, p. 58). Mass incarceration is a reflection of America’s desire to banish from their midst…show more content…
Most importantly, it made Americans feels safe (Austin, James & Irwin, John, p.15). Instead of taking personal responsibility for the ills that plague us, it’s easier to blame someone or something else. Everyone needs a fall guy. The already frowned upon African American community, in particular, African American males fit the bill (Alexander, Michelle, p. 101). The American public was led to believe that this population was the enemy and that they needed protection from him. This meant removing the unjust from the just society (Austin, James & Irwin, John, p. 15). The consequences of mass incarceration are its achievements. It is the salt in the wound that history created. A common falsehood is that the Black man picked up his hat and walked out of his community (Alexander, Michelle, p. 179). The truth is that the disproportionate number of African American males in American prisons is the elephant in the room (Austin, James & Irwin, John, p.
Open Document