In “Preface: The New Jim Crow Mass Incarceration” by Alexander’s, she speaks about mass incarceration and demonstrates how the United States most definitely has its own racial caste system formally known as The New Jim Crow. Which is ALSO known as… legalized discrimination! The author argues that incarceration is a big way of omitting a big majority of African American citizens from being able to have the rights of “regular citizens’”. The author states, “three out of four young black men can expect to serve time in prison” (Alexander, 2012, 6). In today’s society, once you are labeled by the government as a felon, you face extreme disctimination within housing, employment, education and so much more. It is no longer permissible to use race as a “logical” reason for discrimination, however, most criminal justice systems STILL use discrimination by treating criminals differently aka, worse. These imprisoned human beings are mainly put in prison due to the selling and use of drugs. Furthermore, Alexander addresses the research that proves Whites are more likely to engage in drug crimes… yet they do not get reprimanded. Alexander also argues that if the notion of White supremacy was not resistant, the history of racial caste in the United States most likely would have ended.
The way Alexander explains racism and the long lasting effects of it, is something I personally have never experienced. I do believe I have faced discrimination because of my Mexican American heritage and my gender as a woman, but I could never compare it to what was researched and explained in this reading. The narrative that Black American citizens are being overly reprimanded compared to White people is sickening and makes me wonder how MUCH and how many other systems do this to them, schools, jobs, voting, etc.
What would be a way to reform the way the criminal justice system goes about their preconceived racist ways?
Natalie's Blog 
I think the Restorative Justice movement is the best answer we have to the current criminal justice system. RJ explicitly identifies racial injustice as being real and alive and in need of correction and lays a foundation for repair and reintegration into communities built on trust, respect, and accountability. Having officers, school administrators, and community leaders engage in RJ training would be a good way to continue criminal justice reform.
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Natalie,
I feel that I too have never really been truly discriminated agianst due to my race here in the US, so I do not know what it feels like. However, i do agree with what you said that it is sickening how poorly unregulated the justice system is in regards to racial discrimination. One such proposition I would make to start to amend this is to have the accussed stand before a jury of theier peers of the same race, and or a judge of the same race.
Bryce
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Hi Natalie!
I can relate with you where I have never personally experienced the harsh kinds of discrimination and racism that the author explained through the new Jim Crow incarceration. Although I have faced discrimination based on my Asian heritage and being a woman, it has never been as severe as the problems explained in the article. I think a way that we can reform how the criminal justice system goes about their racist ways is to educate police officers and the leaders in the justice system on the problem. By educating them on the problem, they might learn to rid of their bias ways and come up with solutions to prevent these incarceration disparities.
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