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How has the criminal justice system perpetuated social inequality?

Iridian Lodden

The criminal justice system has played a huge role in perpetuating social inequality. This system is supposed to be fair and just but has proven to be the opposite in many cases. This has been especially true for people of color and those from marginalized communities.

One way in which the criminal justice system perpetuates inequality is through the way that laws are enforced. For example, drug laws have been disproportionately enforced against minorities, even though statistics show that drug use is relatively similar across all racial groups. When people of color are arrested and criminalized for minor drug offenses, they are often subjected to harsher sentences than white people who commit the same crimes. This unequal enforcement of drug laws leads to more people of color being thrown in jail, something that is not only detrimental to their lives but also to their communities.

Another way the criminal justice system perpetuates social inequality is through the disproportionate incarceration of minorities. The US has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and minorities are overrepresented in the prison population. This is due to a combination of factors such as racial profiling, over-policing in minority neighborhoods, and the private prison industry's desire to profit from incarceration.

Once someone is incarcerated, they're unlikely to leave prison with any kind of upward mobility prospects. Prisons have been normalized as tools of punishment, not rehabilitation. When individuals are released from prison, they find it difficult to find jobs, housing, and financial support. Being unable to access basic necessities such as food and shelter often forces people back into criminal behavior. As a result, this perpetuates a cycle of poverty and inequality that disproportionately affects minorities.

In conclusion, there are many ways in which the criminal justice system perpetuates social inequality. The uneven enforcement of laws, over-policing, and the incarceration of minorities signal that the criminal justice system prioritizes punishment over rehabilitation. This, in turn, leads to more people of color being incarcerated, marginalized, and excluded from society, perpetuating inequality. Therefore, the criminal justice system must be reformed so that it can become more fair and equitable for everyone, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or socio-economic status.