Since colonialism, thousands of Americans have witnessed their fellow citizens' ungodly and inhumane treatment towards people of color. Once chattel slavery became outlawed, and the emancipation proclamation was in acted.
An uptick of society's undesirables, mostly white men and women, incivility became more pronounced. The uncontrollable need to control, block, or impede people of color's advancement became the focus of White society's purpose in life. Which resulted in Black citizenship being
Blocked from voting for many years
Mass incarcerated for crimes that do not match the time or fine.
Murdered
Children & families left vulnerable to generational poverty
Black citizenship would be marginalized by these unethical racist policies that became the substratum of Americans' structural racism today. The deconstruction of some of the treasonous/racist policies towards Black citizenship must be resolved via
Monetary reparations plus
Police & prison reform.
Today's article will focus on prison reform; per various studies on prisons around the world American prison system is positively archaic. Per studies, prison populations worldwide are decreased in areas where rehabilitative services are offered in various methods to incarcerated individuals. Plus, there is a focus on wellness instead of degradation. Unfortunately, because American prison systems routinely follow a slave mentality ethos. Long-term racist perspective influences and justifies the wrongdoings of American judicial systems: case and point. Footage and documentaries provide evidence of the failure of the American judicial system. https://eji.org/issues/children-in-prison/
Examples are
The Kalief Browder Documentary
Sandra Bland cell phone video & Documentary
Central Park Five Documentary & Film titled "When They See Us."
Children Defense Fund Studies on "The Cradle To Prison Pipeline"
Brennan Center "Hidden In Plain Sight Racism, White Supremacy, and Far-Right Militancy in Law Enforcement Report"
Per experts in prison reform from other countries, each prisoner needs a room that provides privacy, safety, and a standard of comfort. Such an environment offers a measure of wellness that helps to advance inmates' rehabilitation. Open prisons are a standard in countries outside of America. And they are very successful.
Per a study by Annalena Yngborn titled Criminal Policy in Sweden- From Rehabilitation To Prison?" shares that "the sentence of imprisonment should be seen solely as an ultima ratio. And if it is necessary to use this sanction, it should be the most important task (of the Swedish Prison and Probation Service) to counteract any adverse effects of imprisonment as well as to prepare the prisoner's reintegration into the community from the very first." https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344296102_Criminal_policy_in_Sweden_-_from_rehabilitation_to_prison
Yngborn report shares that if a person were caught the second time stealing a TV, for example. That the inmate is given a choice to
Pay a fine or
Serve time or
Be assigned to community service
This design removes the likelihood of an overcrowded prison. And blocks all the abuses that an antiquated slave mentality system could successfully operate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yayOUiQFkOY
Per Michelle Alexanders' book "The New Jim Crow," and Dr. Joy Leary De-Gruy's Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome." America's prison system is designed to put Black citizens in prison to re-institute the standard of slavery & free labor and make sure their power to vote was scrapped. Knowing these facts alone should move
Local
State and
Federal governments
To mandate humane standards for all prisons as outlined below.
First, all prisoners need to have their own living space that includes a
Private bathroom and shower
Furniture (that inspires safety and wellness)
Media system that provides for basic TV with zoom
Vocational training
Higher education
Home communications
Therapy plus
Exercise
Providing these simple resources would help reduce the violent outbursts, rapes, bullying tack ticks of non-professional guards and mentally ill inmates. Additionally, America should utilize Sweden's open jail concept for all incarcerated individuals for a non-violent crime or fine. Per the open jail, concept prisoners are allowed to provide for their families. In other words, they can leave the compound and work at their job without losing it and support their families. While living in minimal supervision and perimeter security compound, private bathrooms, showers, and a living area. Why? Because people who bounce checks, can't pay a fine or owes on unpaid tickets aren't bank robbers.
Police reform is a must, per experts. And so is prison reform. For both to be effectively changed for the better, Americans will have to come clean and make all prisons a proper place to rehabilitate. And not a treasonous plan to recreate chattel slavery in the 21st century. Our country has the money to do this. We know this because Trump's administration spent 3 billion dollars on a wall that a team of vocational students could have built better for $4,000.00 bucks. Also, children and adults accused of petty crimes or trumped up charges that cannot afford bail should not be imprisoned plus traumatized for crimes they more than likely did not commit. (Pictured below Central Park Five)
Thanks for reading. And encourage your local representatives to be the change that makes prison reform a reality of hope and not a domino effect of failure. Below are references and studies in the area of prison reform issues and facts. (Above Central Park Five accused as teenagers. Below premiering their documentary "When They See Us," activist and free men.")
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/hidden-plain-sight-racism-white-supremacy-and-far-right-militancy-law