Decrease In The Prison System

In recent times, social media has been flooding with the idea that government agencies such as the police force, are after poor minority men. Although the purpose of these agencies is to keep the peace and abolish crime, these poor minority men are thrown behind bars for an arrest far greater than what they have committed. The number and type of men thrown into prison indicate that there is a racial inequality and corruption within the penal system. Prison population increased dramatically in the early 1970s once laws became stricter. Drug laws became stricter and the law targeted young black men who dropped out of high school. Incarcerated drug offenders increased by 8% and slowly the jails that used to be for high law breakers such as murderers, were being filled with drug offenders. Western and Pettit then mention Michael Tonry, who slams the unfair disadvantage of the upper class. He mentioned that the dirty works of the poor minority men was mostly for middle and upper white households, therefore most arrests happened in
According to the article, crime varies. In 1980, 182,000 people out of 13.4 million crimes were put into prison compared to 1998, with 615,000 people out of 12.4 million crimes sent to prison. The number of crime has decreased, but the number of people sent to jail has significantly increased. These numbers are highly due to the stricter laws against drug trade, but the number of black men who dropped out of high school prove that the penal system promotes inequality. In 1980, 15% of black males were sent to prison compared to 5% white males. Nineteen years later, 40% of black males were incarcerated compared to 10% white males. Government agencies seem to have a trend in who to arrest, and which neighborhoods to target, because it is the only explanation for the drastic increase in black males. This is a clear vision of inequality within the penal