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Essay On Mass Incarceration

861 Words4 Pages

Mass Incarceration In 1994, President Bill Clinton will sign a crime bill that would change and shape America’s prison system forever. The 1994 Crime Bill. Following this crime bill, the United States would eventually house 25% of the world’s prisoners while only housing 5% of the world’s population. Wow, right? These numbers are due to one of the most ignored, damaging problems in America: Mass Incarceration. In 1993, President Bill Clinton will take office in the white house after defeating republican candidate, and future president, George H.W. Bush. One of the main reasons why President Clinton was able to do so, was because he promised the nation that he would be “tough on crime.” This tactic of running for presidency under the regime of “tough on crime” had been used since the 1960’s. Presidents began running under the premise of “tough on crime” to assure American citizens that they would keep them safe from harm and danger. One of the main key points of this was drug use. Presidents, such as Nixon, would began to vilify and criminalize drug users in a way America had never …show more content…

Shortly after President Reagan declared a “War on Drugs”, crack-cocaine and guns were intentionally flooded into black communities by the American Government—CIA. Following in the steps of his predecessor, Reagan will vilify and criminalize these drugs addicts. Under the “War on Drugs”, much harsher sentences will be given to Americans caught with crack cocaine—mainly black Americans than those that were caught with the main ingredient cocaine—mainly white Americans. In fact, being caught in possession with 28 grams of crack-cocaine yields a mandatory minimum sentence of five years while it takes 500 grams of cocaine to be given the same sentence. Quite a difference. Reagan’s “War on Drugs” marked the start of mass incarceration and Clinton finished

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