Running Head: PRISON ABOLITION 1
1. What are the ways that the prison, as well penalty and carcerality more broadly,
manifest themselves in everyday life?
Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, there has been a growing number of
studies discussing the issue of mass imprisonment in the United States. According to a report by
the Pew Centre, the US has approx. five percent of the worlds population but has over 25
percent of the worlds prison population (Pfaff, 2010). It is the growth of lock them up on
crime policies and transformations in the criminal justice system which sends thousands of
people to prison every day that has been considered mass incarceration (Dyches, 2009). This is
an issue that heavily affects racial and ethnic minorities aged between 20 to 3o years, with the
most affected population being 20 to 34-year-old black males, and women, usually aged between
35 to 39 years (Pfaff, 2010).
The research by Pew Centre notes that over 60 percent the men imprisoned had been
employed before being sentenced and that almost 50 percent of them lived with their families
prior to incarceration (Pfaff, 2010). Moreover, a majority of them were the primary breadwinners
supporting their children. Therefore when the principal earner is suddenly removed from the
family the partner and children of these men are likely to experience a loss of economic
resources while they are in prison (Clear, 2002). Additionally, this burden may continue even
after the man completes their jail term and leaves prison because incarceration reduces their
power to negotiate and find employment, which compounds the financial and emotional
challenges faced by the family (Dyches, 2009). Men with a history of felony conviction are less
likely to marry or cohabit, and if they get engaged, they are more likely to establish unstable
relationships compared to those who have never been incarcerated.
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2. What are the collateral consequences prison, as well penalty and carcerality more
broadly, on the criminalized and their loved ones?
One in every 28 children has a parent in prison and this even worse in minorities groups
such as the black community where one in every nine African American children has a parent in
prison (Pfaff, 2010). America today imprisons more people than any other country in the world,
and what many people fail to understand is that there are more consequences on other people
other than those who are locked up. This is a complex problem, but the tough on crime policies
are hurting many American families, especially given the fact that most of the family members
did not do anything wrong. For instance, many innocent women find it difficult to maintain a
relationship with an incarcerated partner due to the time, money and energy required (Dyches,
2009). Most of these women also undergo emotional strain from not knowing what their partners
are experiencing in jail. Incarceration can also lead to weaker family bonds and reduced well-
being of the children (Dyches, 2009). Additionally, children of those who have been convicted
for criminal behaviors are likely to exhibit more problems during their childhood and in
adolescence.
3. What are the collateral consequences prison, as well penality and carcerality more
broadly, on the criminalized and their communities?
Ex-offenders are permanently barred from accessing important benefits such as food
stamps and other public assistance which is normally very important for them after leaving
prison. Most ex-offenders after completing their sentence usually stay unemployed for almost
one year and these restrictions on benefits which include loss of eligibility to public housing,
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Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) and food stamps usually leave them more vulnerable
to engage in crime and a danger to the community (Dyches, 2009).
Moreover, most of the ex-offenders are usually parents, which means public assistance
such as food stamps and public housing are vital in helping them support their families after
completing their sentence (Dyches, 2009). Human rights observers have noted that individuals
with criminal records within the last five years are normally barred from housing assistance in
almost all jurisdictions. Due to the high number of racial and ethnic minorities being incarcerated
compared to their white counterparts, these types of exclusionary policies result in such groups
suffering disproportionately leading most of them to live in poverty (Clear, 2002).
References
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Clear, T. R. (2002). The problem with addition by subtraction: The prison-crime relationship in
low-income communities. Invisible punishment: The collateral consequences of mass
imprisonment, 181-194.
Dyches, R. (2009). Prisoners Families: The Forgotten Victims. Journal of Prisoners on Prisons,
72-80.
Pfaff, J. F. (2010). The Durability of Prison Populations. U. Chi. Legal F., 73.
