A Social Analysis of The Documentary 13th By Ava Duvernay

A Social Analysis of The Documentary 13th By Ava Duvernay
Students Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Code and Name
Instructors Name
Date
A Social Analysis of The Documentary 13th By Ava Duvernay
Ava DuVernay’s documentary the 13th uses the concept of storytelling to pass its message to the audience. The documentary topic relates to the 13th amendment because it shows that the legacies of the amendment are visible in today’s American society. The 13th amendment was made to abolish the slave trade in America (Juarez, 2018). The film presets cases of racism and slavery that are known to exist in today's world. The only difference is how they occur in an intangible manner. During the slavery era, racism and slavery were tangible acts. The paradox in the “land of free” is that incarceration is the min form of punishing lawbreakers. The American land is claimed to be a fee land, yet wrongdoers are locked away from society members. Approximately 0.8% of adults in the US are currently in prison. The highest number of these people consist of low-class individuals and minority groups such as African Americans. 
Various historical events have played a massive role in determining the issue of mass incarceration. Among them is the southern strategy, where the republican party attempts to gain increased political support from the south by appealing to racism. Currently, the plan aims to focus on voters from minority groups. The strategy offers the whites certain privileges, thus increasing the chances of minority groups being taken to prison. The politics of the war on drugs aims at the reduction of drug dealing activities in the US. This war has led to an increase in the number of prisoners because people are being charged with minor drug possession cases. Before such a war was launched, the conviction of drug dealers was focused on drug cartels and not the low-class drug distributors. African American profiling is highly associated with the mass incarceration caused by the war on drugs. This group of people faces racial bias, thus increasing their chances of being locked up in prison. The ALEC corporation allows private sector leaders and legislators to discuss critical public policies. The policies passed by this organization might contribute to the unequal distribution of wealth, thus leading to high cases of unemployment and underemployment. The high levels of unemployment result in increased criminal activities. High illegal activities result in mass incarceration as the nation attempts to maintain law and order. The enormous profits associated with prisons have also contributed to the current mass incarceration in the US. The more people imprisoned, the higher the gains that will be made from the jails. Therefore, mass incarceration will never end unless the prisons are considered rehabilitation centers instead of money-making organizations. These historical events have played a significant role in explaining the reason behind mass incarceration in the US. The documentary 13th presents a clear picture of the intangible racism and slavery contributing to many prisoners in the US (Juarez, 2018).
Class plays a vital role in the discussion about mass incarceration because it determines th...