The issue of mass incarceration has been topical in the United States for a considerable period. However, within this context, another social problem is observed, which consists of the increased prevalence of people of color in American prisons. This phenomenon of minority overrepresentation in the current system has become an area of intense interest for researchers across the country. Evidently, the issue exists in strong relation to the heated debates surrounding race and discrimination in contemporary society. From a constructionist point of view, the related problems stem from social constructs deeply engraved in the mindsets of the people. In other words, these detrimental tendencies have no objective grounds enabled by nature. Instead, certain social groups are stigmatized and ascribed exaggerated traits that are not related to the actual truth. On an institutional level, the prevalence of subjective judgments entails a serious case of prejudices that increase the likelihood of incarceration for the discriminated groups while asserting the privileges of others. This paper discusses the overrepresentation of minorities in the United States prison system through the prism of the constructionist theory and the principle of labeling.
By the 21st century, the level of public awareness in regard to pressing social issues has been on a stable increase. As a result, such matters as social justice and equality have formed an area of intense interest for researchers. More specifically, various models have been designed in an attempt to explain the profound processes that entail social disparities. According to Hochman (2017), the constructionist approach focuses on the issues of race and related problems. This theory suggests that the very concept of race is non-existent in nature, making it a purely social construct. Furthermore, Hochman (2017) argues that “there are no races, only racialized groups” (p. 61). From a constructionist perspective, racialization becomes a manifestation of subjectivism in social relations. In other words, it does not have any objective dimension, remaining a product of extreme bias. In fact, the idea behind the social constructionism theory suggests that the public’s perception of race is shaped by various aspects of culture and history. Accordingly, biases are created not by reality but rather through the subjective perception of it.
This detrimental tendency reveals itself across various levels and contexts. For example, this subjectivism permeates social relations on an individual level, poisoning even mundane interactions. However, the adverse impact of subjective bias extends further, encompassing institutional and systemic levels, as well. McCarter (2018) observes considerable racial disparities within the criminal justice of the United States. According to various statistics, people of color are highly overrepresented in American prisons. This information implies that millions of people face an increased likelihood of incarceration even though their privileged counterparts may have a different fate under similar circumstances.
In this context, society has grown to associate certain racial features with danger and criminal activities. The constructionist view confirms that these biases have little to do with objectivity, thus becoming ungrounded prejudices. Spoken differently, the criminal justice system relies on the limited subjective experience and racialized perception of crime. This situation represents a case of negative labeling, meaning that people of color are expected to be involved with criminal activities by default. As a result, the system continues to see thousands of cases of wrongful incarceration of people of color combined with lenience toward white criminals.
Ultimately, the constructionist theory provides insight into the origins of the statistically implausible minority overrepresentation in the United States. Limited experience of the public has created a racialized perception of crime by extrapolating independent cases to the entire population. In this case, labeling consists of a biased perspective, as the subjective experience prompts the system to view people of color as guilty and white people as innocent by default. While initially, these views are shaped by subjectivity, they permeate the reality of the 21st century, resulting in serious disparities on an institutional level. Overall, a better understanding of the constructivist position and other social theories will inform better, more equal practice in the future.
References
Hochman, A. (2017). Replacing race: Interactive constructionism about racialized groups.Ergo: An Open Access Journal of Philosophy, 4, 61-92. Web.
McCarter, S. (2018). Racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Encyclopedia of Social Work. Web.