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Personal Troubles are Public Issues: End Mass Incarceration

Shanell Sanchez (Southern Oregon University, USA)
Kelly Szott (Southern Oregon University, USA)
Emma Ryan (University of Northern Colorado, USA)

Diversity in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies

ISBN: 978-1-80117-002-4, eISBN: 978-1-80117-001-7

Publication date: 12 May 2022

Abstract

PurposeThis chapter provides an overview of the importance of seeing personal troubles as public issues when examining the mass incarceration of people of color, specifically Black Americans in the United States. A response to the mass incarceration of Black Americans unrooted in a sociological understanding may lead to victim-blaming. This chapter demonstrates how personal problems are often intertwined with public issues. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the importance of shifting blame away from the victim and appropriately addressing systemic challenges.

Methodology/approachThis chapter applies sociological theories to examine high rates of incarceration of people of color that get attributed to personal problems. The authors based the analysis on previous research and governmental reports.

FindingsSociological theory can offer new solutions to transforming the criminal justice system to alleviate injustices in communities of color. The criminal justice system has negative consequences, but resistance to accepting new ideas perpetuates inequality and limits opportunity for social change. The authors recognize that policy changes must occur at the institutional and structural levels to expose social injustice.

Originality/valueA dearth of research examines the approach of framing personal troubles as public issues to reduce mass incarceration. The authors intend to expand the discourse on how personal troubles intersect with public issues and how the authors must examine mass incarceration as the typical response.

Keywords

Citation

Sanchez, S., Szott, K. and Ryan, E. (2022), "Personal Troubles are Public Issues: End Mass Incarceration", Silva, D.M.D. and Deflem, M. (Ed.) Diversity in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies (Sociology of Crime, Law and Deviance, Vol. 27), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 151-166. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1521-613620220000027010

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022 Shanell Sanchez, Kelly Szott and Emma Ryan