Mass Incarceration Essay - 1512 Words

English 2 9 September 2013 Mass Incarceration Mass incarceration is one of very many huge problems we have here in America. But when you really look into the core of the situation, whose fault is it really. Right away you think it is the criminals fault for getting arrested in the first place right? More people should be well behaved and not end up in prison? But what a lot of people fail to notice are the ones that actual do the actual sentencing. In Paul Butlers book, Lets Get Free he writes, â€Å"I became a prosecutor because I hate bullies. I stopped being a prosecutor because I hate bullies.† Do I think that some people belong in prison? Absolutely. But I also think that there are also even more people that†¦show more content†¦The drug war and racial profiling is a huge cause to mass incarceration. Vanita Gupta from the New York times wrote, â€Å"in 2003 I represented dozens of African-American residents in Tulia, Tex., who had been convicted after a botched drug sting. Jason Jerome Wi lliams, a 22-year-old with no prior criminal record, had been sentenced to 45 years in prison for four sales of an eighth of an ounce of cocaine†¦, Others accepted plea deals to try to avoid such lengthy prison terms.† I do not think that drugs are okay to have, be sold, or to be under the influence of. But I do think that all of these sentences are way to long for these people. These are the sentences’ of those that commit way worse crimes like maybe killing someone or endangering some one else’s’ life. In recent studies, it is shown that†¦ The U.S has 25% of the worlds population in prison. Nearly half of all prisoners in state prisons are locked up for nonviolent offences. The U.S prison population rose by 700% from 1970 to 2005. A rate far outpacing that of general population growth and crime rates. 1 in every 106 white males age 18 or older is incarcerated. 1 in every 36 Hispanic males age 18 or older is incarcerated. 1 in every 15 black males age 18 or older is incarcerated. (Matt Sledge, The Huffington Post) The U.S. imprisons moreShow MoreRelatedThe Problem With Mass Incarceration1445 Words   |  6 Pages The Problem with Mass Incarceration Over the past few decades, the United States has witnessed a huge surge in the number of individuals in jail and in prison. Evidence suggests the mass imprisonment policy from the last 40 years was a horrible catastrophe. Putting more people in prison not only ruined lives, it disrupted families, prevented ex-prisoners to find housing, to get an education, or even a good job. 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