Bars Quote by Michelle Alexander
“For reasons that have stunningly little to do with crime or crime rates, we, as a nation, have chosen to lock up more than two million people behind bars. Millions more are on probation or parole, or branded felons for life and thus locked into a permanent second-class status.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander, 2010
The U.S. mass incarceration is driven more by political and social forces than by actual crime rates, creating a permanent underclass.
In simple terms: Mass imprisonment is driven by politics, not crime.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge policies that fuel mass incarceration.
Themes
justice
race
policy
inequality
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
analytical
activist
When to use this quote
- criminal justice reform
- voting rights advocacy
- community reentry programs
Key Concepts
systemic racism
mass incarceration
political economy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do political narratives shape incarceration rates?
- What reforms can reduce the prison population?
A Different Perspective
Mass incarceration also stems from public fear and political rhetoric.
![“[T]he slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery. —W.E.B Du Bois, Black Reconstruction in America For” quote by Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fdb/michelle-alexander-750_time_t-he-slave-went-free-stood-a-brief-momen_96485.jpg)
