When thinking about society, either as we would like to see it or as it currently operates, there is a tendency to dismiss entire segments of the population. Perhaps this is because of the discomfort we feel when trying to fit these groups into a patriotic grand narrative or because our privilege allows us to develop and maintain tunnel vision to a certain extent.
Whatever the explanation, the fact is we engage in a process of dehumanization and "othering," which makes it comfortable to neglect and dismiss. This is perhaps most noticeable with regard to the prison population and youth offenders.
Behind the empty rhetoric of rehabilitation and re-integration, there is an attitude shared by the general population and policymakers that the way to address the situation is to be tough on crime, make sure criminals are kept behind bars and let prison guards and officials worry about the mess.
Although it is convenient to simply jettison this population from our purview, however, it remains a part of our society and should be given more than an afterthought. If rehabilitation is to retain any meaning, it is necessary to move away from the predominant way of thinking.
The outright social rejection of the prison population surely plays some role in reinforcing the attitudes perpetuated by the prison culture, a culture that offers little hope to those within prison walls. Given few alternatives, it should not surprise any of us that former inmates often gravitate back toward criminal ways almost as a mechanism of survival. Also, the notion those who end up in prison are born with a natural predisposition toward criminality is not only an outdated mode of analysis - it is also dangerous. Societal factors and deprivation must be taken into account when analyzing criminal behavior.
It is necessary to adopt an approach that understands the need to re-configure the prison system in a way that is just and also strives toward the stated goals of rehabilitation and re-integration. An essential step toward achieving a different understanding is recognition of the gravity of the situation.
According to The Sentencing Project, "The United States is the world's leader in incarceration with 2.1 million people currently in the nation's prisons or jails." A new study released by the Pew Charitable Trusts predicts the prison population in the U.S. will increase by 13 percent throughout the next five years. The study estimates new operating and construction expenses will cost nearly $27.5 billion. Tough sentencing laws such as mandatory minimum sentences and denial of parole, rather than increasing crime rates, are cited by the Pew study as factors contributing to the expected population increase. Also, Pew mentioned that in some states, there was a high rate of repeat offenders.
In addition to just sheer numbers, the voter disenfranchisement of people with felony convictions, the racially disproportionate impact of the criminal justice system on minorities, harsh sentences toward low-level drug offenders and the sentencing disparity with regard to cocaine and its freebase form, crack, are all issues that must be considered.
Fortunately, there are some local examples that can be drawn upon as positive examples of how to move forward. As reported by WOSU 820 radio, the local National Public Radio affiliate, the Ohio Department of Youth Services has implemented programs and other initiatives to reduce the rate of youth offender recidivism. For example, DYS has placed an added emphasis on aftercare release programs.
Aftercare involves community volunteers and family members in the re-entry process for youth offenders. Other programs promote improving communication, skill-building, non-violent resolution to conflict, resisting peer pressure and the value of education, among other things. Programs such as this should be implemented on a national scale and not just for youth offenders.
The prison population and the criminal justice system must become part of the mainstream political discourse or the United States will continue to be the nation of incarceration.
Rajeev Ravisankar is a recent OSU graduate with a degree in international studies and political science. He can be reached at ravisankar.2@osu.edu.
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