Social Justice As A Normalcy

A few weeks ago I was reading a report released by the San Francisco District Attorney's office in response to a data inquiry provided by the MacArthur Foundation. The MacArthur Foundation accused the San Francisco DA of withholding valuable tools and resources designed to decrease incarceration.

While reading this report of both parties a concept rocked my spirit. That incarceration is a civil right. This society with its laws, statutes, and constitution supports the reality of imprisonment as a birthright for New Yorkers. At this present day time in history, the so-called African American population has earned the award as the highest-standing incarcerated population in New York City.

As we peruse the societal landscape associated with incarceration the one-sided nature of it is apparent to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear what atrocities are developing in the community. Being that incarceration is a positive social construct. The negative stories that seep through the prison bars speak of great atrocities of loss and despair. Stories of greatness and mystical wonders are not reaching society from behind the prison walls. Even the people in the time of John the Baptist heard stories about the great things he spoke of and did in prison.

As the great Earl Nightingale stated, whatever you plant it will produce its nature. We plant prisons in the land if it is our birthright. Incarceration is used as a deterrent to resolve issues within society. Incarceration is not the solution to fix broken societies even though it has taken on this position.

Social justice has to become the norm to facilitate changes instead of incarceration. As one of my colleagues would say, New York cannot incarcerate itself out of harm. New laws and processes must be implemented for societies to grow and heal. If prisons are not designed for a society to heal then what is the purpose of prisons? We only have one life and it should be a good one. We have the right to grow and heal from social norms. We also have the right to make mistakes and go through a healing process to correct them. Humanity is not a utopia however we can strive and move as it is.