NCJ Number
205255
Journal
Review of Policy Research Volume: 21 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2004 Pages: 5-12
Date Published
January 2004
Length
8 pages
Annotation
After providing an overview of recent trends in imprisonment rates in America, this article introduces the other articles in this issue.
Abstract
As of June 30, 2001, there were nearly 2 million men and women housed in either prisons or jails in America, constituting an incarceration rate of 690 per 100,000 population, higher than any other country in the world. Increases in imprisonment rates have been especially large for women and minorities. Much of the increase in incarceration for women stems from the impact of mandatory sentencing laws passed during the 1980's. One survey found that just over half of women in State prisons had no prior offenses, or only one previous offense, compared to 39 percent of the male inmates. The rate of incarceration for African-Americans exceeds that for Whites by a ratio of eight to one. The primary reason for the recent incarceration increase in America is the policies associated with the "war on drugs." The six articles in this symposium have many similarities. First, each article focuses on several key variables that help explain the recent rise in imprisonment. These include race, class, gender, the "war on drugs," and the fact that controlling crime has become a profit-making industry, which in turn means that there must be ways to ensure that there is a steady supply of offenders to process through the criminal justice system as "commodities" for this industry. The research reported suggests several ways of correcting the injustices and failures of current policies. Systemic changes must be made to correct the various forms of inequality that often lead to crime and delinquency and the injustices that result. Short-term changes, such as sentencing reforms, better probation and parole policies, and the development of more alternatives to incarceration are needed. 19 references