CARCERAL REFORM

Prison reformist founded innovations like probation, parole and indeterminate sentencing to help convicts. The public began to slowly shift away from convict leasing as states shifted to state prison farms (which were just as bad).

This time period marked the birth of the modern prison system as people refocused on reformation - an idea forgotten during the convict leasing era - even as the crime rate increased. In order to foster rehabilitation, emphasis was placed on educating inmates.

Growth of the Modern System 1920s–1940s

The nations’ incarceration rate climbed from 79 to 139 people per every 100,000 residents. The Black incarceration rate at this time was 3x the white incarceration rate (which was in decline).

Tensions & Riots 1950s–1960s

Two riots occurred at Trenton prison sparking prison riots across the country in response to overcrowding and horrible living conditions. Prison examiners look into prison violence. Many states improved conditions after media coverage of the riots. Prison officials again renewed their focus on rehabilitation.

War on Drugs 1960s–1990s

Nixon began to wage his “War on Drugs” as part of his “Tough on Crime” campaign. He promised harsher drug convictions and the phasing out of indeterminate sentencing - a move prison rights groups supported.

San Francisco, California November 9, 2019

Chesa Boudin was elected as the District Attorney of San Francisco, California, winning on a progressive platform and promising sweeping criminal justice reform. His stated goals during his term are to find alternatives to incarceration, to decriminalize sex work, hold the police accountable, and address the existing racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Boudin has garnered the support of figures like Senator Bernie Sanders and outspoken activist and prison abolitionist, Angela Davis.

Deep Dive: Prison Abolition

So, how do we begin to imagine America without its prison system? Many people believe the prison system is integral to criminal justice as prisons are deeply rooted in American history, the American economy, and our social reality. After all, if prisons didn’t exist, where would the “bad” people go?

As criminal justice reform gains support it follows that prison abolition would enter justice reform discourse. Prison abolition blatantly affronts our constructed idea of criminality, but when we begin to identify the systems and factors that produce these high rates of imprisonment it becomes difficult to justify our criminal justice system as it exists now.