User:MaloneAO06/sandbox

= Imprisonment Binge = In 1865, the 13th amendment ended slavery. With blacks free to establish wealth, integrate into society, and be seen as human, racist individuals were not so happy for them. Those who were once in control have now lost their sense of dominance. However, in 1877, they established the Jim Crow laws, which allowed for the discrimination of blacks. Those who once lose control have regained their superiority. However, blacks protested and fought for their freedom once again, and in 1964, the civil rights act of 1964 abolished those Jim Crow laws. Yet again, racist individuals were not so happy. They have lost control once again. Their need for racial dominance thus created a racist culture that will later impact the undeserving race of black individuals. With a need to reestablish their racial hierarchy and continue their racist culture, a new way to control blacks was underway. During this time, industrialization and scientific advancement were on the rise and had left urban environments and moved away from central cities. That resulted in the disorganization of neighborhoods and an increase in poverty in the inner-city communities filled with blacks. With poverty and a need to regain control, institutions such as the education system, political economy, and the labor market had become shaped by a historical racist culture. This systematic approach, coupled with racist beliefs, viewed blacks as undeserving and worthy of punishment. Following, political leaders passed laws such as the war on drugs, three-strike laws, mandatory minimum sentencing, and sentencing disparities for crack and cocaine contributed to the growth of the prison population between 1980-1996. Thus, creating an imprisonment binge in the United States.

Effects of Concept
One lasting consequence of the over-reliance on imprisonment is the mental health of offenders. According to Muraskin (2010), within 12 months of incarceration, 56 percent of state prisoners, 45 percent of federal prisoners, and 64 percent of local jail inmates indicated mental health problems. Prison culture of rape, abuse by officers, excessive solitary confinement, and gang violence are likely contributors to mental health disorders. Ironically, between the 1980s and 1990s, attitudes toward mental health changed. Courts moved from rehabilitation for offenders to retribution and punishment. The change created more restrictions on the release of offenders with mental disorders, with the need to protect the community taking priority. One predictor of recidivism is diagnosis/treatment for mental disorders. It makes it hard for formerly incarcerated persons to live a life outside of prison.

Criticism of Concept
Most misperceptions regarding blacks in prison are the image portrayed of young black men. The picture of black men changed from victims of injustice or remorseless predators between the civil rights movement and the election of President Ronald Regan. It resulted in the over-representation of threatening black males and harsher sentencing that treated juveniles as adults. The selective use of incarceration allowed blacks to become targeted for all kinds of crimes.

Evidence Supporting Presence
The racist culture uses a systematic approach of blaming minorities for social unrest and instability as a form of social control. In 1917, the United States banned the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquor. Politicians warned citizens that if blacks were to access alcohol, they would rape white women, riot, and engage in crime. In 1980, President Ronald Reagan's campaign, get tough on drugs, was the focal point of his election. This viewpoint created an urgency to criminalize the sale and distribution of crack cocaine, which was often associated with blacks, known as the war on drugs. It resulted in a 1.5 million increase in the prison population. Between 1980 and 1996, the blacks prison population grew from 7 percent to 25 percent. The racial difference in the length of sentences for Blacks and whites rose from 11 percent to 49 percent. However, drug offenses grew from 6 percent to 93 percent. Black men between 18 and 25 are 38 percent more likely to be imprisoned than their white counterparts.