Mass incarceration has become a major issue in the United States due to the increased rates of imprisonment in the country. The United States is recognized as having the highest number of incarcerated individuals, and has exceeded Russia, which in the recent years has had a substantial reduction in its prison population. According to a report filed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) the American prisons and jails were occupied by approximately 2.2 million adults by the end of 2016 (Kaeble and Cowhig, 2018). This implies that out of every 100, 000 citizens residing in the U.S, nearly 655 of them are incarcerated. Imprisonment is perceived as an effective crime control strategy in the U.S; hence why major cities in the country have a large population in prisons and jails. Consequently, mass imprisonment has resulted to significant economic, social and cultural implications in the United States with both the government and its citizens bearing the costs. Incarceration has continuously affected individuals that are locked up in prisons and their families, which magnifies its effects on the society.
Social and Cultural Implications of Incarceration
The criminal justice system has been designed to develop punishments that effectively deter and discourage potential criminals. Imprisonment was implemented as part of the policies that would ensure that any individual that engaged in criminal offences would be held accountable for their mistakes. Thus, this increased the rate of arrests made on offenders, whereby harsh sentences were imposed on all types of crimes. The sentences approach further escalated the penal system which has contributed to the increasing incarceration rate in the U.S.
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Imprisonment has emotional and financial costs on the family members of the individuals that are incarcerated. Families of the person in prison face financial stress, emotional and psychological trauma as well as social stigma from the communities they live in. The effects of mass imprisonment can be felt on many neighborhoods in the U.S and mainly impacts children whose parents are incarcerated. According to Mauer (2005), the racial dynamics of incarceration disproportionately affects people of color with at least 7% of the affected children are from black families. This phenomenon suggests that at least 1 out of every 14 black children has experienced a period in their lives where their parent was incarcerated.
The increased rate of imprisonment among low-income families and people of color has heighted the social stigma attached to these communities. Davis (2000) asserts that the largest population of inmates constitute of African American women. Black women have become a primary target for the police for the same reasons as black males, as most of these females are arrested on drug-related charges. Although there is social support networks developed to encourage the family members left behind, the social and cultural norms make it had for them to overcome the stigma of being associated with a criminal. For instance, children experience lifelong traumas for being the offspring of a criminal or having to grow up without a full time parent but only having to visit them in prisons. The shame and stigma are enhanced by the fact that low-income families are forced to depend on their relatives and friends for financial support. Thus, the stigma associated with incarceration increases since the families whose member is in prison are aware that the same people that have been assisting them will turn out to judge them.
Throughout history, the criminal justice system perceive the correctional facilities as a crime deterrent place; thus, mainly focusing on rehabilitating the individual and ignoring the families. Codd (2008) asserts that for most incarcerated parents, the criminal justice system mainly works to separate their families as opposed to reuniting them. For example, imprisoned parents whose children are placed on foster care are likely to lose them if they are incarcerated for more than 22 months. Additionally, familial relationships are affected by incarceration. For instance, marriages are threatened when one spouse is sent to prison, which may lead to separation or divorce.
The financial impact of incarceration on families occurs when a family member who is the primary source of income is imprisoned. Their imprisonment leaves a financial burden on the rest of the family who have to adjust to their new realities and implement new ways of generating income (Codd, 2008). For instance, in situations whereby the family member who was expected to pay child support is imprisoned, they leave momentous financial loss as the child losses on the support benefits. Moreover, the financial burden may be great in circumstances whereby the relatives of the incarcerated person attempt to maintain a close relationship. Codd (2008) affirms that the idea of families supporting prisoners is a form of “shadow punishment” – prisoners become more reliant on their families during the imprisonment period than they were before their arrest. For instance, most inmates rely on their families to support them financially in order for them to acquire personal items, telephone communication and some pocket money. Such financial responsibilities may be economically challenging for the relatives especially those from low-income communities.
The Economic Impact of Incarceration
The U.S imprisonment system has developed into a large institution that affects the governing bodies and public services. The costs associated with crime and imprisonment place financial burden on states and the public. According to Blumstein and Beck (1999), since the 1980s the level of incarceration has rapidly increased in the U.S, which has resulted to the increased state expenditures on correctional facilities and law-enforcement programs. Thus, the total costs of incarceration can be felt by the state as well as the citizens, whose taxpayers money is used to maintain the reform systems.
Individuals who are incarcerated can no longer be active members of the society as they are denied the opportunity to contribute to the state’s economy. Harding et al (2014) explains that imprisonment as a strategy to curb crime attracts opportunity costs for families, communities and the society at large. When more members of the society are incarcerated, it means that the number of citizens contributing to the economy through their income and consumption significantly reduces whereas the number of dependents increases. Although policymakers are invested in reducing the incurring costs of incarceration, the system has failed to prepare the prisoners for a productive and safe re-entry into the society. Ex-prisoners find it challenging to secure job opportunities as they face the social stigma related to being in prison. Prison sentences stall the inmates’ careers as they are forced to leave their occupations to serve their sentence. Moreover, the government is also forced to invest more capital on welfare programs to cater for families that are affected by the incarceration. Children whose parents are in prison as well as ex-prisoners all depend on welfare programs to overcome the challenges of their new realities, which puts additional financial stress on the state budgets.
Conclusion
In recent years, scholars have argued that the penal system is not an effective methodology of minimizing crime. The social, cultural and economic implications of incarceration reveal that investments in imprisonment is not worth the emotional and financial costs it has on individuals, families and the government. Thus, the federal government should invest in a more effective reform system that will be effective in rehabilitating offenders and minimize the incarceration costs.
References
Blumstein, A., & Beck, A. J. (1999). Population growth in US prisons, 1980-1996. Crime and Justice , 26 , 17-61.
Codd, H. (2008). In the shadow of prison: Families, imprisonment, and criminal justice. Portland, OR: Willan Publishing.
Davis A.Y. (2000) From the Convict Lease System to the Super-Max Prison. In: James J. (eds) States of Confinement. Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Harding, D. J., Wyse, J. J. B., Dobson, C., & Morenoff, J. D. (2014). Making Ends Meet After Prison. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management , 33(2), 440–470.
Kaeble, D. and Cowhig, M. (2018). Correctional Populations in the United States, 2016. BJS . Retrieved from: https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cpus16.pdf
Mauer, M. Thinking About Prison and its Impact in the Twenty-First Century. Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law , Vol 2:607-618
