"Truly meaningful reforms to the criminal justice system cannot be accomplished without acknowledgement of racial and ethnic disparities in the prison system, and focused attention on reduction of disparities." The artifact comes from the words of Ashley Nellis as published on the sentencing project. She elaborates on the issue of racism in the justice system by saying no progress can occur without fully acknowledging the issue at hand. This opinion allows us to grasp the importance race plays not only to contribute to problems, but also in the process of fixing them.
Source: http://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/color-of-justice-racial-and-ethnic-disparity-in-state-prisons/ |
Source: http://defendernetwork.com/news/national/blm-charlottesville-confirmation-everyday-violence-black-people-endure/
|
Citizens gathered outside of the Los Angeles County Hall of Administration on Tuesday to protest the expansion of jails in the county. Those protesting were led by Patrisse Cullors, an L.A. native and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, and were in support of the “Justice L.A.” campaign that called on L.A. county leaders to redirect funds intended for new jails to community services and other alternatives to incarceration.
Source:
http://beta.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-black-lives-matter-protests-jail-expansion-20170926-story.html
Source:
http://beta.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-black-lives-matter-protests-jail-expansion-20170926-story.html
Image Source: https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328751532i/6792458._UY630_SR1200,630_.jpg
The New Jim Crow, written by Michelle Alexander, is a renowned piece of literature that questions, challenges, and comments on our currently flawed prison and Criminal justice system. Its reception was so impactful that it was banned in all New Jersey prisons for a while. Her work proposes that the American system is similar to a caste system that has resulted in millions of African Americans behind bars, and has created a permanent second-class system of people who are victimized and denied of their rights.
Source: Alexander, Michelle. The New Jim Crow. The New Press, 2010. |
Clinton Calls Part of 1994 Crime Bill "A Mistake"The controversial Crime Bill of 1994 still, more than 20 years later is still a topic that is being talked about. The debate on whether or not this bill illegally locked up thousands of black men or reduced the crime rate sincerely still exists. In the artifact above, a video from the 2015 democratic presidential debate Hillary comments on the Crime Bill, calling it a mistake.
Source: https://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/hillary-clinton-1994-crime-bill-220344 |
"The idea that the criminal-justice system discriminates against blacks — and that this bias explains blacks’ disproportionate presence in custody — is a staple of civil-rights activism and of the academic Left. Every effort to prove it empirically, however, has come up short." - Heather MacDonald
Racial influence in the penal system is always a controversial idea, as this quote above from an article found for realpolitics.com displays. In American history race is always brought into the occurring discussion about the penal system. This particular artifact exemplifies both sides of the spectrum in regards to the argument.
Source: https://www.realclearpolitics.com/2013/07/21/american_justice_is_not_racist_311992.html
Source: https://www.realclearpolitics.com/2013/07/21/american_justice_is_not_racist_311992.html