Overview of Mass Incarceration Trends

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Explore statistics and insights on mass incarceration worldwide, focusing on the U.S. prison system, gender disparities, and international comparison in a thought-provoking presentation.

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MASS INCARCERATION AN OVERVIEW KAIROS PRISON MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DR. KAREN SWANSON, INSTITUTE FOR PRISON MINISTRIES

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE Which country locks up more of its people? a) U.S. b) Canada c) Rwanda d) Russia

INTERNATIONAL RATES OF INCARCERATIONS, 2016

THE ERA OF MASS INCARCERATION

POPULATION UNDER CONTROL OF THE U.S.CORRECTIONS SYSTEM, 1980 AND 2016 (BJS, 2018) 4,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 0 Prison Jail Parole Probation 1980 2016

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE What percentage of the incarcerated in the U.S. are in prison for violent crimes? a) 77% b) 67% c) 57% d) 47%

JAILS AND PRISONS NATIONAL STATISTICS JAILS PRISONS County All security levels together 76% pretrial; 24% convicted (few hours to years) Men and women in separate parts of the same facility (except large jails) Trend 84% of jails held people out of their jurisdiction State, Federal, private (rural areas) Designated security levels Convicted (sentenced >1 yr) Separate facilities by gender/security

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE What percentage of U.S. prisoners are male? a)93% b)83% c)73% d)63%

WOMEN 7% of prison population, 13% of jail population More likely to be incarcerated for non-violent offenses than males - property and drug crimes Gender specific strategies needed

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE The number of youth held in facilities away from home as a result of juvenile or justice involvement has increased in the last few of years. a) True b) False

JUVENILE JUSTICE

YOUTH OFFENSES Some children and youth become involved with the juvenile justice system because they are accused of committing a delinquent or criminal act. Other youth come into contact with the system for status offenses actions that are illegal only because of a youth s age such as truancy, underage drinking, and running away from home. Not all of these cases, however, are formally processed through the courts.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE The racial disparity within the inmate population in the U.S. is unjust a) Strongly agree b) Somewhat agree c) Somewhat disagree d)Strongly disagree e) Not sure

THE RACIAL DISPARITY WITHIN THE INMATE POPULATION IN THE U.S.IS UNJUST Among Protestant Pastors (view) 100% 80% 60% 40% 28% 23% 22% 16% 20% 11% 0% Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Not sure

LIFETIME LIKELIHOOD OF IMPRISONMENT

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE What percentage of the incarcerated in the U.S. will one day be released back into their communities? a) 95% b) 85% c) 75% d) 65%

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE What is the national recidivism rate (within 3 years of release) based on a study in 2005 in 30 states? a) 77.8 percent b) 67.8 percent c) 57.8 percent d)47.8 percent

WHAT DOESNT WORK Locking people up Locking people up longer

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? Individual Systemic/cultural/community Both

PHILOSOPHICAL REASONS Shift in philosophy in the 1980 s from rehabilitation to retribution (punishment). Increased focus on individual responsibility for crime Imprisonment was the response to social problems of the poor homelessness, unemployment, drug addiction, mental illness, and illiteracy.

POLITICAL REASONS Capitalizing on fears War on Drugs Tough on Crime

POLICY CHANGES 3 Strikes laws Longer sentencing Mandatory Minimums Life sentences for youth

POLICY CHANGES Experts on crime and punishment now generally agree that changes in public policies not dramatic changes in criminal behavior propelled the decades-long prison boom in the United States. Marie Gottschalk, Caught: The Prison State and the Lockdown of American Politics

ECONOMIC REASONS PRISON INDUSTRY COMPLEX Prison staff unions Private prison companies Public bond dealers Suppliers of services and products used in corrections

SOCIETAL SYSTEMIC REASONS Over-policing in designated areas Poor education systems Inadequate legal representation for the indigent Racism

THE IMPACT OF MASS INCARCERATION ON THE POOR In this country it is better to be wealthy and guilty than poor and innocent. Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy

SPIRITUAL REASONS Support for retribution/silence of the church Focus on ministry - not justice Willing to go into prisons but not willing to welcome formerly incarcerated in our churches

PIPELINES

CRADLE TO PRISON PIPELINE: RISK FACTORS Poverty Intolerable abuse and neglect A culture of punishment rather than prevention Unmet mental and emotional problems Substance abuse Inadequate access to health care Ineffective juvenile justice and child welfare systems Gaps in early childhood development Disparate educational opportunities Sub-cultures that glorify violence and illegal occupations

CRADLE TO PRISON PIPELINE CDF's vision with its Cradle to Prison Pipeline campaign is to reduce detention and incarceration by increasing preventive supports and services children need, such as access to quality early childhood development and education services and accessible, comprehensive health and mental health coverage.

AT-RISK YOUTH The criminalized environment facing Latino and African American children where like the victims of a crippling or wasting disease, once drawn into the prison pipeline, massive numbers of young people lose their opportunity to live happy, productive lives, not because of festering microbes but because of years spend behind bars. Marian Wright Edlemen, President of the Children s Defense Fund

SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunities of an education. Such an opportunity, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is a right that must be made available on equal terms. Chief Justice Earl Warren, Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE: FACTORS Zero tolerance policies Standardized testing Overzealous policing efforts Inadequate resources Lack of qualified teachers Insufficient funding for counselors, special education services, and textbooks Overcrowding classrooms