prisons and abolition Flashcards
what is abolitionism
ending the reliance on focused punishment as a response to crime and social harms
prison abolitionism
moving away from the use of prison as a form of punishment
carceral abolitionism
moving away from all institutions that control and objectify humans (detention centers, mental hospitals, universities etc…)
penal abolitionsim
moving away from state-centered punishment
how do we change this?
- radical transformation
- radical organization
- community-led approach
radical transformation
how we think about contemporary forms of punishment
radical reorganization
social and economic structures that are a part of inequality
community-led approaches
centers offenders and victims and tries to fix harms without help of state-control
what are the functions of a prison? (4)
- deter
- rehabilitate
- reintergrate
- incapacitate
how long have prisons been around for?
first one was circa 1750-1850, only been around for a few hundred years so its not too late to change our ways
what were the two competing models that prisons emerged under? (A &P)
auburn system
pennsylvania system
auburn system
strict, prison labour, solitary cells at night
pennsylvania system
complete solitary confinement, religious, asking for penance while in isolation
while historicizing prisons, what is the prison system a new form of?
indigenous control
what did Angela Davis argue about prisons?
prisons are inherently racist and discriminatory
AVERAGE annual cost of a federal inmate?
$150,505
what are the most prevalent characteristics among prisoners?
mental health issues
substance abuse
sexual and physical abuse
low education
what is an example of prevalent racism in prisons?
indigenous over representation of 33% in federal prisons
do prisons work?
it had a null or criminogenic effect on reoffending
what does Ruggerio say about abolitionism?
he says we deal with problems everyday but its interesting how we pick certain events where we turn to the justice system for help
what is one critique of the legal system?
takes away power from the victim
what is one critique of punishment
unnecessary suffering without benefits, and the assumption that prisons have become more humane overtime
Angela Davis’ key areas for abolitionism to succeed (3)
- immediate decarceration of non-violent offenders
- build alternative institutions
- addressing root causes - crime prevention through social transformation
what does “immediate decarceration of non-violent offenders” mean?
- decriminalize non-violent offences like drug and sex work related offences
- ban pre-trial detention
what does “build alternative institutions” mean??
- demilitarize schools (no security)
- free health care
- reparation vs retribution
what does “addressing root causes” mean?
- addressing racism, poverty and lack of opportunities
- creating more jobs and opportunities
why not just reform?
the presence of prisons shape how we think about justice, we never question its existence, its just common sense why we have them.
