Reply To: Session #1: Key Takeaways

[e_powells]

Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie

I never actually understood how offenses are broken down. I knew that individuals were charged in different categories however, I never knew that only the most serious offense was reported. The article gives an example of a drug offense. A person may have committed a violent crime, but the drugs will not be included as a role in the violent crime. This means that the person will automatically get the max amount of time in most situations especially if they do not take the plea deal. Taking a case to trial is almost always risky because most of the time the individual will lose. That was “aha” moment for me it is just a reminder that the system is a constant cycle with tactics that will always keep the individual incarcerated.

Another take away I took from this article, was to include state psychiatric facilities into incarceration rates. I have worked in a psychiatric facility before, and it is very much like prison. Because many of these people are conserved, the government keeps them in these lock facilities with no rights or decisions on their own lives. Although there are mental health services within these facilities, I question is the goal really to stabilize these individuals or keep them locked in forever?

Hope is a Discipline: MARIAME KABA ON DISMANTLING THE CARCERAL STATE

The “aha” moment I had with this article was when MK said that we actually need to limit contact the police have citizens. The police are here to protect, yet we need the most protecting from them. I have heard so many different ways to reform the police besides limit their contact. Body cams, changing reports, have police go out and get to know people in their communities etc. but never limit their contact. I wonder how we as a country would go about doing this. It is ironic that we would limit something that is supposed to protect, but it’s more than necessary.