prisons and abolition

Question 1

what is abolitionism

Answer 1

ending the reliance on focused punishment as a response to crime and social harms

Question 2

prison abolitionism

Answer 2

moving away from the use of prison as a form of punishment

Question 3

carceral abolitionism

Answer 3

moving away from all institutions that control and objectify humans (detention centers, mental hospitals, universities etc…)

Question 4

penal abolitionsim

Answer 4

moving away from state-centered punishment

Question 5

how do we change this?

Answer 5

1. radical transformation
2. radical organization
3. community-led approach

Question 6

radical transformation

Answer 6

how we think about contemporary forms of punishment

Question 7

radical reorganization

Answer 7

social and economic structures that are a part of inequality

Question 8

community-led approaches

Answer 8

centers offenders and victims and tries to fix harms without help of state-control

Question 9

what are the functions of a prison? (4)

Answer 9

1. deter
2. rehabilitate
3. reintergrate
4. incapacitate

Question 10

how long have prisons been around for?

Answer 10

first one was circa 1750-1850, only been around for a few hundred years so its not too late to change our ways

Question 11

what were the two competing models that prisons emerged under? (A &P)

Answer 11

auburn system
pennsylvania system

Question 12

auburn system

Answer 12

strict, prison labour, solitary cells at night

Question 13

pennsylvania system

Answer 13

complete solitary confinement, religious, asking for penance while in isolation

Question 14

while historicizing prisons, what is the prison system a new form of?

Answer 14

indigenous control

Question 15

what did Angela Davis argue about prisons?

Answer 15

prisons are inherently racist and discriminatory

Question 16

AVERAGE annual cost of a federal inmate?

Answer 16

$150,505

Question 17

what are the most prevalent characteristics among prisoners?

Answer 17

mental health issues
substance abuse
sexual and physical abuse
low education

Question 18

what is an example of prevalent racism in prisons?

Answer 18

indigenous over representation of 33% in federal prisons

Question 19

do prisons work?

Answer 19

it had a null or criminogenic effect on reoffending

Question 20

what does Ruggerio say about abolitionism?

Answer 20

he says we deal with problems everyday but its interesting how we pick certain events where we turn to the justice system for help

Question 21

what is one critique of the legal system?

Answer 21

takes away power from the victim

Question 22

what is one critique of punishment

Answer 22

unnecessary suffering without benefits, and the assumption that prisons have become more humane overtime

Question 23

Angela Davis’ key areas for abolitionism to succeed (3)

Answer 23

1. immediate decarceration of non-violent offenders
2. build alternative institutions
3. addressing root causes - crime prevention through social transformation

Question 24

what does “immediate decarceration of non-violent offenders” mean?

Answer 24

1. decriminalize non-violent offences like drug and sex work related offences
2. ban pre-trial detention

Question 25

what does “build alternative institutions” mean??

Answer 25

1. demilitarize schools (no security)
2. free health care
3. reparation vs retribution

Question 26

what does “addressing root causes” mean?

Answer 26

1. addressing racism, poverty and lack of opportunities
2. creating more jobs and opportunities

Question 27

why not just reform?

Answer 27

the presence of prisons shape how we think about justice, we never question its existence, its just common sense why we have them.