Formerly, poll taxes, literacy test and felon disenfranchisement laws were employed in order to exclude African Americans from the participation in society. They were considered second class citizens because of their title of slaves. Today, they are still considered second class citizens, but because of their title as criminals (Alexander 198-199). The racial dimension of mass incarceration is the most outstanding feature controlling the lives of so many African Americans today. Alexander estimated in that three out of four-young black men can expect to serve time in prison at point in their lives. The mass incarceration of black men serves to define the meaning and significance of race in America today. Previously, race (black) was defined as slaves; today, race (black) is defined as criminals. Thus, mass incarceration perpetuates and deepens a pre-existing pattern of racial segregation and isolation. African Americans are being sold to private prisons and are warehoused in prisons for long time and once they get out of prison, they are labeled and destined to carry a stigma that extends to the family members, friends and even to their …show more content…
Alexander argues that by creating laws and policies politicians have been successful at making black slavery legal. Ex-convicts, because of the having a criminal record, are not being allowed to enroll in Universities, are not eligible for public aid, housing and denied the ability to obtain employment (social mobility in the fields of cultural and economic capital). Mass incarceration marginalizes large segments of the African American community, segregates them physically, and then legalizes discrimination against them in voting, employment, housing, education, public benefits, and jury services. They are not allowed to participate in such a crucial process of democracy (Alexander