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Lavette Mayes: Victims Of Mass Incarceration

1788 Words8 Pages

Lavette Mayes got into an argument with her mother-in-law one night, something that happens to many people. Only this one led to her arrest for aggravated assault against a senior citizen. After processing, she had the option to pay her cash bail to be released from jail, but her circumstances did not allow her to afford it. She was forced to stay in jail for 14 months while she waited for her court date. This left her separated from her kids for over a year. Lavette Mayes is one of many victims of mass incarceration. Mass incarceration has been an extensive topic in the world of criminal justice for decades. It started in the 1970's and only grew from there. The concept of mass incarceration first began during President Nixon's presidency when he declared the “war on drugs” and through large amounts of fear and racial rhetoric being pushed onto the citizens. Because of the rise in mass incarceration, communities have experienced a significant rise in mental and physical health issues. This is why mass …show more content…

With drug treatment, more probation, and community service, inmates will get the true chance to change for the better without having to face imprisonment. Cullen’s research says “... Sometimes, longer stays can even increase recidivism” (Cullen). Sometimes, serving a long sentence for a small crime makes the inmates worse off instead of better. This is why alternatives to incarceration are so important not only for the inmates, but it helps with overcrowding. Although the alternatives solve mass incarceration, it does not solve the agendas being pushed out that cause a lot of people to be arrested. There has to be a lot of reform to undo the prejudice’s that have taken over the criminal justice system. Despite this, this is the best solution to solve mass incarceration because it brings back what jails and prisons were supposed to be in the first place, a place for

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