Incarceration: Causes, Consequences, Effects, and the Need to End

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Introduction             In the United States, incarceration rates have dramatically increased. When compared with other countries, the country has many prisoners. This paper will examine the background, reasons for, impacts, and need to abolish incarceration. Incarceration must end because of its detrimental effects. I.  Incarceration in the United States The prevalence of incarceration in the United States has been increasing every year. i.            Causes             The increasing number of prisoners in the United States results from policymakers. People of race frequently engage in some illegal practices that are already prevalent. Thus, incarceration has been significantly influenced by race. ii.            Consequences             The effects of incarceration on a person, their families, their health, and society are extensive. Discrimination and oppression may be experienced by a person who is incarcerated or who may become incarcerated. A family may have both financial and emotional consequences. Health will also be impacted because those who share incarceration suffer from poor health. Finally, society is also affected. Although incarceration’s primary objective may benefit the nation, it has had several unfavorable effects. II.            Negative Effects of Incarceration Incarceration has affected numerous facets of life, including family, community, and health. i.            Effects on Family             Incarceration removes an individual from a family, thus disrupting family relationships (DeHart et al., 2018). Incarceration of a family member connotes a negative meaning that allows a person to undergo economic hardship. Incarceration’s impact on a family is evident in the economic aspect. Thus, incarceration poses difficulties for families. ii.            Effects on Society             The number of crimes committed in the United States has not decreased; on the contrary, it has reduced people's rights and benefits. According to Stemen (2017), lower violent crime rates will not result from a higher jail rate. Discrimination results from incarceration because it allows society to assess a person a...