An extensive history of slavery is the root of mass incarceration. The easiest way to define prison is as a modernized version of slavery. The reality of prison systems is different from the perception that it’s the ideal place for convicts to recover or to serve as punishment. Currently, the amount of people being incarcerated is substantially more than it used to be. Due to the crack epidemic, anyone in possession of a form of narcotic was automatically imprisoned causing an uprising in many communities. In Writing My Wrongs by Shaka Senghor, he expresses his concern for the prison system as a whole, going through his journey when he is in prison for killing a man at 19 years old. He demonstrates how it affected inmates and ultimately mankind. …show more content…
“Donald Goines’s novels had created in me a desire to read, but Malcolm’s words snatched my eyes open and embedded in me a burning desire to do something meaningful with my life. His ability to go from a common street thug to a world-renowned orator and scholar inspired me in a way that nothing had before.” (Senghor, 101). Shaka considered Malcolm X to be a significant individual who he could identify with. Upon reading about how he put his life together after serving time in prison, Shaka aspired to be like him and live a meaningful life. Given what he did, he never believed change was possible. From this moment on, Shaka’s mindset begins to gradually alter, which is a crucial factor in his …show more content…
He was impacted most by literature, family, and writing. He received the assistance he desired as a result of these factors, assistance that a lot of other prisoners would not have gotten. The reality of the US prison systems is inhumane and inefficient. Even if the government invests the bulk of its resources in the system, the majority of individuals aren’t getting the support they need. The prison system is evidently a poor form of rehabilitation and is proven to have a harsh environment that can leave convicts worse off than they were before. People have been dehumanized as a result of prison and its inhabitants for far too long. “If there’s a will, there’s a way”, readers can discover that people can