Discrimination and

Disenfranchisement
of
African American Males
Incarcerated In the U.S.A.
A Sociologist Students Perspective

By: April Sandquist

Histor
y
of the
United
States
Prison
Syste
m

Prisons before the 18 t h

Century
The history of the prison
system came about
before the 18th century
where it was not
considered by todays
standards as a prison,
but a means to justify
punishment for a crime
that was committed.
Corporal punishment,
forced labor, and social
ostracism were far more
common forms of
punishment than
incarceration in the
ancient world,
Slaves however, were not
j ailed. Slaves were sentenced
to death and execu ted wi thout
having to see the inside of a

Prisons of the 18 th Century

Age of Reason came about and the views of how

criminals should be punished swept around every
corner of the civilized world. In time, Colonial America
also become enlightened when combining
religion/religious views in conjunction with
incarceration turned what was once coined as
detention to now being called penitentiaries (where
one served an appropriate time for their sins) became
what we all know as prison today.

Debtors and creditors in America: Insolvency, Imprisonment

for Debt, and Bankruptcy, 1607-1900 (Beard Books, 1999)

Prisons Today in the 21 st

Century
By the 20th Century, U.S. prisons were more for reformitory, meaning that
Prisoners were sentenced not only to serve their time, they were expected to
Be educated as well. This is a practice that is still done today in prisons.
Most
Prisoners are from under class men living in poor economic status. The
theory
Is offering education and skills is so that they can acclimate better in society
If they are educated and have quality skills to obtain a job and maintain a job
When they are released. Places like Delancey Street have proven that giving
Opportunity to even the harden of criminals, that they will be able to be
Productive members of society. Sadly, documentaries on prisons and released
Prisoners show a different story.
In the HBO Documentary Vice,
incarcerated
Males say that once they are out of jail they cannot find proper work because
of
Their criminal felony records. As well as, once released, they are seen by a
parol
Officer and expected to pay fines. If those fines are not paid, prisoners return
Back to prison for parole violations. This is a vicious cycle hitting the African

Race Census vs. Prison Census

The table below shows that the number of African Americans
incarcerated vs. the number of total population is grossly
disproportionate. One in three African American, will be
sentenced to prison in his lifetime and that number will rise as
more and more juveniles are sentenced to serve time in
prisons. Since 1970 to present, prisons have increased in
population by nearly 700%.

Race/Ethnicity

White (nonHispanic)
Hispanic
Black

National
incarceration
rate
(per 100,000)

% of US
population

% of U.S.
incarcerated
population

64%

39%

450 per
100,000

16%

19%

831 per
100,000

13%

40%

2,306 per
100,000

Types of
Sentencing
Given to
Prisoners

of
Sentencing
Based on
Crimes
Committed

Drugs are one of the main

reasons why convictions are
made causing jail time for
anyone.
Black men are 9 times more
likely to have longer
sentencing then someone
white doing the same offense
Hispanic men are 4 times
more likely to serve longer
sentence times than white
men
If equal time is served for the
same crime between black,
Hispanic and white men,
prison populations would be
reduced by an estimated 50%

Are the prison times given

appropriate to the crime committed?
- In 2002, 80% of African American
men sentenced to prison for
crack cocaine possession were
sentenced to more time in prison
then white or Latino men despite
the fact that more than 2/3 or
crack cocaine users were white
or Latino males in the U.S. who
severed a lesser time
incarcerated.
- African-Americans represent
26% of juvenile arrests, 44% of
youth who are detained, 46% of
Furthermore, laws also permit a
the youth who are judicially
convicted
waived to criminal court, and
Felon from voting in the U.S. When
58% of the youth admitted to
A large percentage of black men are
state prisons (Center on Juvenile
Incarcerated, a large number of votes
and Criminal Justice).
cannot be calculated causing a
disproportionate disparity

Poor economic status determine

length of time incarcerated

Are men that live in the ghetto

more likely to be unfairly
incarcerated longer?

The Chicago Urban League published The Vicious Cycle written by Dr.
Paul Street, highlights the disparities faced in incarceration and returning
back to the same communities. Mass incarceration now plays a key role
in creating and perpetuating the overall tangle of social, political, and
historical forces that perpetuate what Martin Luther Kind call the triple
ghetto: the ghetto of race, the ghetto of poverty, and the ghetto of
misery. Men are more likely to continue in the same unlawful ways when
they return from the ghetto where they were initially arrested and

Functionalism would say that it is necessary for mass

incarceration so that society will continue to have laws
and those that do not follow the laws must be
convicted. As well as, a functional theorist would say
that prisons are created to keep society pure and safe.
Conflict theorist would say that prisons are designed to
do away with people that do not fit in societys norm. If
a person is not of a higher class, race, or wealth then
they will be convicted for being not like the ones in
power. Conflict theorist would argue that prisons are a
place to hide what embarrasses the society as a whole.
Prisoners are the white elephant in the room! If there is not a
change made, then mostly all African American males will be
incarcerated and enslaved as they were several hundred
years ago. Functionalists more than likely want this, but
Conflict theorist would argue that African American men are
not allowed to have a chance and it is a crime (these days) to
be born black.