Formal Outline Including A Thesis Statement About Mass Incar

Formal Outlineinclude A Thesis Statement About Mass Incarcerationsta

Include a thesis statement about mass incarceration. State the main idea of each paragraph as a declarative sentence. Indicate supporting details/arguments/sources for each paragraph. Now that you have become well informed about the characteristics and causes of mass incarceration, your final assignment is to write an outline in which you use sources (described below) to support your own judgment about some aspect of mass incarceration and criminal justice reform. Because your job in this essay is to persuade a reader to agree with your point of view, it’s up to you to decide what argument you want to make.

I have identified several topics, with suggested readings, below – but you may choose a slightly different topic if you talk it over with me first. Sources, Documentation and MLA Format · You should use at least two new sources (i.e. sources you have not used in previous assignments). · Avoid excessive quotation (no more than about 20% of your essay’s words). · Document sources using MLA style - both in-text citation and a Works Cited list . · Using a source’s words without enclosing them in quotation marks is plagiarism. Using or quoting from sources that you do not cite in the text and Works Cited list is plagiarism. · All drafts should be formatted double-spaced, in 12-point type. Include a word count on the last page.

Your Audience Assume that your reader may know a little about the topic (for instance, you could assume they know the information contained in the James Cullen article “The History of Mass Incarceration” or have seen the film 13th). But do not assume that your reader is especially knowledgeable or has read the other sources you have read. That means that some of your essay will have to be an explanation, summarizing facts about the topic. Sources and Topics: Remedies for Mass Incarceration: what are the best ideas, what has been tried, and how is it working? · You will find many articles on proposed solutions at the web sites of several organizations you’ve encountered already in our readings: the Vera Institute for Justice , The Marshall Project , The Sentencing Project , and the Brennan Center for Justice (ending mass incarceration is just one of the issues they work on). Especially, see: o “Decarceration Strategies: How 5 States Achieved Substantial Prison Population Reductions” · James Forman Jr. and Sarah Lustbader , “Every D.A. in America Should Open a Sentence Review Unit,” The New York Times 1 Aug. 2019. · Here are two stories of specific decarceration efforts, from PBS Frontline: “In Latest Reform, Kentucky Softens Approach to Juvenile Offenders”; “For Some Felons, a Better Chance to Break the Re-entry Cycle” The human costs and consequences of incarceration · Bruce Western, “The Rehabilitation Paradox” The New Yorker, 9 May 2016: “If we’re really going to reduce our prison populations, we will have to acknowledge that human frailty under conditions of poverty puts people at risk of becoming, simultaneously, the perpetrators and victims of violence.” · Lorna Collier, “Incarceration Nation: The United States Leads the World in Incarceration. A New Report Explores Why — and Offers Recommendations for Fixing the System” · Sarah Childress, “Todd Clear: Why America’s Mass Incarceration Experiment Failed” PBS Frontline 29 April 2014. · Two documentaries from the PBS series Frontline, Prison State (2014) and Life on Parole (2017), tell individual stories that illustrate the impact on individuals caught up in the criminal justice system. The role of black citizens’ and politicians’ attitudes toward law enforcement and incarceration: · James Forman, Jr., “Introduction” from Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America (2017): the last 1/3 of this excerpt outlines the role of black citizens and politicians in majority-black Washington, D.C., building on Fortner’s account of New York in the 1970s. · Michael Fortner, “The Clintons Aren’t the Only Ones to Blame for the Crime Bill: Black Leaders Also Embraced It,” The Marshall Project 10 July 2015. Expanding on what you learned in Jason L. Riley’s review of Fortner’s book Black Silent Majority. · Nazgol Ghandnoosh, “Executive Summary” from Race and Punishment: Racial Perceptions of Crime and Support for Punitive Policies The Sentencing Project, 3 Sept. 2014. · John Gramlich, “From Police to Parole, Black and White Americans Differ Widely in Their Views of Criminal Justice System,” Pew Research Center, 21 May 2019. · John Gramlich, “5 Facts About Crime in the U.S.,” Pew Research Center, 17 Oct. 2019. Crime as a source of the prison boom and racial disparities, and arguments against decarceration: · Barry Latzer, “An Incarceration Nation?” Law & Liberty, 2 March 2020. This article develops, with more evidence, the argument in the Latzer article you’ve read previously. · Heather Mac Donald, “Is Mass Incarceration Destroying American Communities?” National Review Online June 21, 2016. · Heather Mac Donald, “High Incarceration Rate Of Blacks Is Function Of Crime, Not Racism,” Investor's Business Daily 28 April 2008. · Rafael A. Mangual “Mass Decarceration Will Increase Violent Crime” Manhattan Institute 18 Sept 2019. · Rafael A. Mangual, “Mass Decarceration is Not the Answer,” Newsweek July 29, 2020. · Rafael A. Mangual, “Everything You Don’t Know About Mass Incarceration: Contrary to the popular narrative, most American prisoners belong behind bars” City Journal Summer 2019.

Paper For Above instruction

Title: Addressing Mass Incarceration: Strategies for Reform and Community Impact

Introduction

Mass incarceration remains one of the most pressing issues in the American criminal justice system. Characterized by the unprecedented and disproportionate number of individuals behind bars, particularly Black Americans, it raises serious concerns about justice, equity, and societal outcomes. This essay argues that implementing targeted decarceration strategies, along with addressing underlying societal issues such as poverty and racial bias, can significantly reduce prison populations and foster healthier communities.

Paragraph 1: The scale and characteristics of mass incarceration

Mass incarceration has escalated dramatically since the 1970s, driven by tough-on-crime policies and mandatory sentencing. According to the Pew Research Center (2019), the U.S. leads the world in incarceration rates, with over 2 million individuals behind bars. Notably, Black Americans are incarcerated at a rate approximately five times higher than white Americans (Ghandnoosh, 2014). This disparity is rooted in systemic racial biases and socioeconomic inequalities, which funnel marginalized populations into the criminal justice system from a young age (Western, 2016). Understanding these characteristics is vital for designing effective reform strategies.

Paragraph 2: Causes of mass incarceration

The causes of mass incarceration are multifaceted, involving policy decisions like the War on Drugs and the 1994 Crime Bill, which amplified incarceration rates, especially among minority communities (Fortner, 2015). These policies often targeted nonviolent offenses, leading to overcrowded prisons and strained correctional resources. Additionally, racial biases influence sentencing and law enforcement practices, perpetuating disparities (Ghandnoosh, 2014). Poverty and lack of access to quality education further exacerbate vulnerability to criminal behavior, making incarceration a recurring cycle for many individuals (Western, 2016).

Paragraph 3: Consequences of mass incarceration

Besides its moral and social implications, mass incarceration causes significant human costs, including psychological trauma and disconnection from social support networks (Childress, 2014). The documentaries Prison State and Life on Parole vividly depict how incarceration impacts individuals' lives and communities, often making reentry into society exceedingly difficult. Furthermore, mass incarceration undermines community stability and economic prospects, particularly in Black neighborhoods, fostering a cycle of poverty and crime (Western, 2016). These consequences highlight the importance of reforming the system to reduce its destructive effects.

Paragraph 4: Racial perceptions and attitudes toward incarceration

Racial attitudes heavily influence public support for criminal justice policies (Ghandnoosh, 2014). While many Americans perceive Black citizens as more prone to crime, surveys show that White Americans often underestimate their own incarceration rates, reflecting racial biases (Gramlich, 2019). Historically, Black political leaders in cities like Washington, D.C., supported tough-on-crime measures, partly driven by community safety concerns but also embedded within systemic racial dynamics (Forman, 2017). Recognizing these perceptions is crucial to fostering equitable reforms that address racial disparities.

Paragraph 5: Debates on decarceration and arguments against reform

Despite calls for decarceration, opponents argue that reducing prison populations could lead to increased crime rates. Articles by Latzer (2020) and Mangual (2019, 2020) emphasize that mass decarceration may weaken public safety and empower violent offenders, highlighting concerns about the effectiveness of such policies. Conversely, proponents argue that targeted reforms, like sentence reviews and community-based alternatives, can reduce populations without compromising safety (Forman & Lustbader, 2019). Balancing these perspectives requires nuanced policies rooted in empirical evidence and community engagement.

Conclusion

Addressing mass incarceration demands a comprehensive approach that includes decarceration strategies, addressing racial biases, and tackling societal inequalities. Evidence suggests that reform efforts like sentence reductions and community investment have yielded positive results in some states, showing potential for nationwide change (Forman & Lustbader, 2019). Ultimately, reducing prison populations while safeguarding community safety involves understanding and overcoming complex systemic issues, emphasizing the need for collaborative and informed reform initiatives.

References

• Childress, S. (2014). Todd Clear: Why America’s Mass Incarceration Experiment Failed. PBS Frontline.
• Forman, J., Jr., & Lustbader, S. (2019). “Every D.A. in America Should Open a Sentence Review Unit.” The New York Times.
• Fortner, M. (2015). The Clintons Aren’t the Only Ones to Blame for the Crime Bill: Black Leaders Also Embraced It. The Marshall Project.
• Ghandnoosh, N. (2014). Race and Punishment: Racial Perceptions of Crime and Support for Punitive Policies. The Sentencing Project.
• Gramlich, J. (2019). From police to parole, Black and white Americans differ widely in their views of criminal justice system. Pew Research Center.
• Latzer, B. (2020). An Incarceration Nation? Law & Liberty.
• Mangual, R. A. (2019). Mass Decarceration Will Increase Violent Crime. Manhattan Institute.
• Western, B. (2016). The Rehabilitation Paradox. The New Yorker.
• Ghandelosh, N. (2014). Executive Summary. Race and Punishment: Racial Perceptions of Crime and Support for Punitive Policies. The Sentencing Project.
• Forman, J., Jr. (2017). Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America.