I chose to write about this topic because being an African American woman, it affects me directly. I have seen the distress incarceration has on a family. As I previously stated, there are mental aspects involved as well as physical. These aspects are distributed equally among the family and the inmate. The African American community having a history filled with turmoil, these events affect the whole race. So many people have fought and died for the evolution of the African American race. Past generations have given up so much, to see future generations given opportunities they never received.
Even though the African American community has progressed immensely, there are still opportunities that are denied to us; these opportunities are not so publicly known. Poor education, poverty, heavy government assistance, and the sale of illegal substances, lie among some of the infamous offenses.The progression among the community are often overshadowed by the epidemics of poverty, violent killings, and the high incarceration rate. Not commonly noted, the men that are being incarcerated, ages 16-25, have families of there own. Because of their current state of living in poverty, they are dependent upon the profit from the illegal activity. When this is no longer available, government assistance in the form of Welfare or Food Stamps are sought. This provides further hindrance and contributes to the stability of the poverty rate among the African American community. In regards to the mental state of the inmate, worrying with the welfare of their family contributes to the state of mental turmoil. It is a recurring cycle. The individual viewed illegal activity as a way to escape the perils facing them but the consequences for doing such come with a much greater burden. In many cases this becomes a contribution to the consecutive visitation of many inmates back into the prison system.
Angel,
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent point about how the incarceration of young Black males affects communities and families. You also do an excellent job of letting us know about the economic impacts. Good work.
Wow. Your second post is chock-full of information and concrete details, as well as provocative points that stir intense thought and feeling in the reader. In particular, you raise an important point and make the connection between living in poverty and earning money illegally. "The individual viewed illegal activity as a way to escape the periols facing them but the consequences for doing such come with a much greater burden." Well-said.
ReplyDelete