Mass incarceration is the term used to describe the situation in which the US has locked up many individuals in federal, state, and local prisons. I agree with the author that there are disproportionately high numbers of Hispanic and African American prisoners, two racial and ethnic groups frequently subjected to prejudice in the criminal justice system. The central problem is the complex of new African American control institutions made up of the carceral system and the ruins of the dark ghetto (Wacquant, 2007). This demonstrates that the author is correct in stating that the effects of slavery and white dominance are still felt today and are reflected in the US criminal justice system.
David Fathi also discusses the issue of mass incarceration in the United States, describing it as a significant public problem. The lecturer cites as an example the same punishment for possession of 500 grams of powder cocaine, which white people use, and five grams of crack, which African Americans more frequently consume (CWU Social Justice, 2015). I support the author that some laws have racist bias built right into them because of how they were created.
The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, ratified within the Organization of African Unity framework, serves as the cornerstone of the African continent’s regional system for protecting human rights. The goal is to advance the protection of human rights and the growth of respect for them on the African continent. African cultural and social practices favour restorative and compensatory justice, and the adversarial nature of formal legal justice systems is at odds with one another. (Kayode Fayemi, 2005). Within African regional organizations, there are other human rights tribunals and courts, such as the ECOWAS Court, the East African Court, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Tribunal.
The socialization of released prisoners is a significant issue because the primary objective of prisons is to transform people. In terms of solitary convicts, this problem is particularly challenging. According to the documentary, prisoners kept in solitary confinement for an extended period start to exhibit signs of anxiety and panic (Edge & Mucciolo, 2017). They experience hallucinations, frenzied movements throughout the cell, angry outbursts, and a loss of rational thought. I believe solitary confinement should only be used in exceptional cases because it results in healthy people experiencing psychosis and attempting suicide and self-harm.
References
CWU Social Justice. (2015). David Fathi: “Mass Incarceration, Race and Human Rights” [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Edge, D., & Mucciolo, L. (2017). Last Days of Solitary. [Video]. PBS. Web.
Kayode Fayemi, J. (2005). ‘Foreword’, in S. Humphreys (eds.), Human Rights and Justice Sector Reform in Africa: Contemporary Issues and Responses. Open Society Justice Initiative, pp. 1-4.
Wacquant, L. (2007). ‘From slavery to mass incarceration: Rethinking the ‘race question’ in the US’, in I. H. López (eds.), Race, Law and Society. Routledge, pp. 41-60.