Locked Away for Life

This poem is a very unique poem that illustrates struggle, hardships, and even pain that certain type’s of people are still experiencing. The article “Locking Up the Lower Class” by Nathaniel Lewis explains that class disparities are the main reason for the gap in black-white incarceration rates. Since the beginning of time the American law system has locked people up at jaw dropping rates. The united states alone holds over 20 percent of the worlds prisoners. Blacks are incarcerated at rates much higher than blacks. Rates as high as 2,306 per 100,000 compared the whites as 450 per 100,000. Blacks are 5 times as likely as white people to be in jail or prison in the US. My article and poem suggest that racism still exist today and it is thriving under American Law.

My poem highlights the most important issues in todays law system. The first point is Mass incarceration exists primarily to control black people. A racist system that developed following the end of the legal segregation and the success of the civil rights movement. THe second point is of the poem is to show that Mass incarceration exists primarily to manage the poor. Its a class-biased system that emerged as as the welfare state was rolled bak an neoliberal reforms took off. A system that does not only target minorities but poor minorities who are helpless. This poem is trying to show people that our legal system needs to change, so that black people aren’t monitored and controlled their whole lives. 

One thought on “Locked Away for Life”

  1. Dan,
    I think your poem was well thought out and creative. My poem is similar to yours in the fact that African Americans are not treated as equals in our society still today. One mistake by an African American, and it could cost them their life. But whites are not held to that same standard. Incarceration levels are just one example of this inequality. The more attention brought to this topic, the more potential for change. We all have to stand up for everyones rights to be heard.

    Malley

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