Mississippi Office of the State Auditor的动态

Mass incarceration can be interpreted as a form of class warfare, particularly when examined through a lens of social and economic inequality, generational oppression and trauma. This perspective argues that the criminal justice system disproportionately targets and imprisons individuals from lower socio-economic classes, often marginalized communities, thereby perpetuating and exacerbating existing social inequalities. Key Points in This Perspective: 1. Criminalization of Poverty: People from poorer backgrounds are more likely to be criminalized for behaviors linked to their socio-economic status, such as drug offenses, theft, or other survival-related crimes. The lack of access to quality legal representation often leads to harsher sentences compared to wealthier individuals who can afford better defense. 2. Disproportionate Policing: Poorer neighborhoods, often home to minority communities, are more heavily and oppressively policed. This leads to higher arrest rates and subsequently higher incarceration rates for minor offenses. The focus on junk science like “broken windows” policing and zero-tolerance policies has contributed to this trend. 3. Profit Motive and the Prison-Industrial Complex: The growth of the prison-industrial complex, where private companies profit from the incarceration of individuals, creates an economic incentive to keep prisons full. This system disproportionately affects the poor, who are more likely to be caught in the cycle of incarceration due to systemic inequalities and profit motivations. 4. Political Disenfranchisement: Mass incarceration leads to the disenfranchisement of large segments of the population, particularly poor and minority communities. This loss of voting rights and political voice further marginalizes these groups, making it difficult for them to advocate for desperately needed changes to the system. 5. Racial and Economic Disparities: Social and economic class status plays a crucial role in mass incarceration. African Americans and Latinos are incarcerated at much higher rates than whites, often for similar crimes. This disparity reflects broader patterns of racial and economic inequality in society. Conclusion: From this perspective, our legal system and mass incarceration function as an instrument of oppression to maintain the existing socioeconomic class structure, controlling and suppressing the lower classes by removing large numbers of people from society, depriving them of their liberty, and limiting their economic and political power. This view suggests that reforms in the criminal justice system must address structural violence and the underlying social and economic inequalities to achieve meaningful change. In Solidarity ?????? Stop looking at the offence and start looking at the cause. The oppressor is the problem, NOT the oppressed.

An important reminder this Labor Day: Mass incarceration is an economic issue. Money is power in the US, and mass incarceration plays a major role in determining who can wield power and who can’t. And it's no coincidence that the poorest and most vulnerable communities are also the most policed. The criminal legal system puts up significant barriers to employment and the ballot box, economically and politically weakening entire communities – this horrific truth affects all workers. Movements to end inequality & mass criminalization are in fact one and the same, and solidarity between all workers—criminalized or not—is necessary to progress toward a more economically just future. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gj973Ue3 #incarceration #laborday #criminaljustice

Incredible wastes of #taxpayers money. Together with refugee detention and #AUKUS submarines, this is Australia's future being thrown away. Upgrading community infrastructure and facility to harness our best productivity and lifestyles are desperately required. Half of this money spent on upgrading the families of these children and their futures would get an enormously improved response. #childprison #crime #childabuse #family Ripping up AUKUS will give us all the money we need for schools, education, highways, hospitals, policing, and appropriate Australian border control and defence. Spending the #refugee detention money on international #diplomacy to reduce refugees at source, #conflict, and international machinations; a robust regulated integration process into Australia; and #climate adaptation will give us the long term #economic and socially #resilient population to maintain the best quality of life we can. Justice Reform Initiative

The latest Report on Government Services (RoGS), released by the Productivity Commission late Thursday, reveals that the annual net operating costs of child incarceration surpassed $1 billion for the first time in 2023-24 - nearly double the $544 million spent in 2014-15. At a time when every dollar matters, how much more are our leaders willing to invest in a system that is failing? It is an incredible waste of taxpayer funds to spend over $1 billion a year locking up children. There is no doubt that this amount will keep increasing unless governments shift focus to community-led responses that address the root causes of crime. Read more: https://loom.ly/ClQNMOA

Mass incarceration is a crisis that reflects the deep flaws in our justice system. It devastates communities, disproportionately impacts people of color, and often fails to address the root causes of crime, such as poverty, mental health, and substance abuse. Instead of rehabilitation and reintegration, it perpetuates cycles of suffering, stripping individuals of dignity and opportunity. We must advocate for a justice system that prioritizes restorative practices, education, and support services over punitive measures. It’s time to shift the focus from punishment to healing, recognizing the humanity in everyone and building a society that values rehabilitation and redemption. The future of our communities depends on it.

https://lnkd.in/e4QRUi-B Reflecting on this, I've seen how effective alternative provision can serve as a crucial buffer against the pipeline to young offenders' institutes. With the cost of housing an offender around ￡200,000 per year, investing in well-resourced AP is not only cost-effective but also potentially transformative. So much suffering and social cost can be avoided by prioritising robustly funded AP over the 'value for money' mantra that many local authorities (currently 40!) are forced to adopt as part of bailout agreements.

Prison labor is often seen as exploitation if wages are low, but is wage the only factor? The US faces a massive incarceration issue, with 2.3M imprisoned and 650K released annually. Without marketable skills, many re-offend. For-profit companies can help by providing training and job opportunities, both during and after incarceration. Let's redefine exploitation and focus on long-term growth and empowerment. https://lnkd.in/gfJ4Rc9e by Tina Stine #TeleverdeEffect #empowerment