Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography
Diego Reyes
California Baptist University
ENG 123
Prof. Sung
Fall 2015

Annotated Bibliography

References
Steiker, C. S. (2014). Mass Incarceration: Causes, Consequences, and Exit Strategies.
Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law, 9(1), 1-6
In this introductory article Carol S. Steiker presents the issue of mass incarceration to
her 1st semester Harvard Law students. She explains the importance and relevance of mass
incarceration to her law students, many whom are unware of the issue. Steiker presented the
statistics of mass incarceration, she explained that there are 700,000 per every 100,000
individuals are incarcerated. She also explained that there are about 2 million people incarcerated
in the US, having the highest rate of incarceration than anywhere in the world.
Carol Steiker presented 6 articles of 6 different intellectuals who contribute to the
research of mass incarceration, one being Professor Michelle Alexander whom focuses on the
effects of mass incarceration in the black community. Michelle being a former civil rights lawyer
and author of The Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. Where she
speaks of the lasting effects of incarceration some them being, the right to vote, serve on juries,
receive public benefits, being unable to break from the discrimination in the work place and
housing. All of which works closely together with the new Jim Crow slavery. Steiker also speaks
of Professor Cole whom is in search for an answer for the causes of the growing rate of
incarcerations and questions the fall of violent crimes. Cole questions racial inequalities with
justice system and is for assuming the focus to be more on foreign terrorist than home grown
criminals. Steiker also presents Professors Bernard Harcourts ideas and focuses. Some of his
ideas involve the development of psychiatric medicine and the development of social welfare
programs. Bernard also gives many ideas to sway from incarceration such as GPS monitoring,
medication, and other devices that can be used to avoid imprisonment. Steiker presents Professor

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Michael Seidman ideas on mass incarceration, where he correlates modern societys response to
imprisonment to Nazi occupied Europe, due to the isolation of poor black communities. Steiker
lastly presents Professor Andrew Taslitz research on populist deliberative democracy and
correlates in sharing a more direct awareness with the problem of mass incarceration and
emphasizing empathy throughout all social groups.
Carol Steikers presents her introduction with six contributions from six different
intellectuals, all who research the problem of mass incarceration. All scholars focused on many
different alternatives other than imprisonment for example, medication to the mentally ill, GPS
monitoring. This information is new to her students and focuses on the ignorance of the crucial
topic of mass incarceration.

Crutchfield, Robert D. & Weeks, Gregory A. The Effects of Mass Incarceration on Communities
of Color. Issues in Science & Technology, Vol. 32 Issue 1, p46-51. 6p.(2015)
This article by Robert D. Crutchfield and Gregory A. Weeks emphasizes on mass
incarceration and suggests that mass imprisonment should not always be the solution. Over
imprisonment can potentially contribute to some collateral consequences in poor communities.
The authors use concepts from criminologist that suggest that mass incarceration can be harmful
to communities. Some examples of the harmful side effects from mass imprisonment is by
raising crime rates, victimization, criminalization of the community populace, and the lack of
resources. Studies show that the majority whom were incarcerated often had drug, alcohol, or
mental problems and that jail became a dumping site for those with mental complications.
Many criminologists suggest that mass incarceration is aimed at people with color, due
to the fact that most drugs such as cocaine which are used primarily by whites have a lower

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incarceration sentence. In contrast to crack which is was a primarily drug used by people of color
in poor communities. Statistics state that black African American men are charged and sentences
13 times higher than white men and suggest that there is an overrepresentation of minority group
engaging in crime, and that people of color are overrepresented in U.S. prisons and jails.
This authors suggest a few of the many ways communities can benefits by decreasing
incarceration rates. The authors suggest that the answer to confront the negative effects of mass
incarceration which is to reduce it. Suggesting that by reducing mass incarceration will have
profound effects on the communities of color because they have disproportionally have suffered
from the increases of incarceration. Another way to address the problems for communities of
color is by reducing the residential racial and economic segregation which continues to cause
problems for social life in the U.S. The authors suggest that the following harmful effects for
communities of color is to reduce the number of people going into prisons and to create a more
just society.
This Articles has many great points and analysis as to why reducing the imprisonment
rate can only benefit the community for the better. The authors use a great example of president
Barack Obama commuting sentences for 46 men and women whom were serving federal prison
time for nonviolent drug offenses and stated that the non-violent conviction punishments did not
fit the crime.

Blades, Joan & Norquist, Grover. This Is the One Thing the Right and Left Are Working
Together On in Congress. Time Magazine. May 7, 2014, retrieved from
http://time.com/90109/this-is-the-one-thing-the-right-and-left-are-working-together-onin-congress/

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Author Joan Blades and Grover Noquist write about the conservatives and progressive
parties in how they can both can meet in the middle with mass incarceration. Both parties
understand that the percentage of the incarcerated in the U.S are much higher than any other
nation. The article shows statistics given by the U.S. bureau of Justice reports that in the U.S.
there are 2,266,800 people incarcerated and that there are 4,814,200 on probation. The author
then presents that with the high amounts of individuals being incarcerated can have costly
consequences such as 50,000 annually.
The authors express that long sentences for certain offenses can cause issues in the
community and within their families. In addition, inmates who are being release are often not
prepared to return to civilian life. There are religious organizations and communities that are for
rehabilitating those that are being released.

Furman Jason & Holtz-Eakin, Douglas, Why Mass Incarceration Doesnt Pay. The New York
Times. April 21, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/21/opinion/why-massincarceration-doesnt-pay.html?_r=0
Jason Furman and Douglas Holtz-Eakin write how congress are considering a bipartisan
legislation, in which they will attempt to loosen tough sentences to offenders of the law. The
legislation can possibly prove to be cost effective but the law of diminishing marginal benefits
applies to adding inmate or years. whereas, by increasing prisoners or years to a sentence can
both pose to be harmful. Furman and Douglas state that studies shows that by adding years to an
inmates sentence increases the likelihood of re-offending by 4 to 7 percent.
In addition, there are more than $80 billion dollars spent on corrections and in addition
the average adult imprisonment cost is $30,000 and $110,000 for juveniles which is much higher

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than a year of tuition. The article continues with statistics that show that the prison budget has
grown to 1,700 percent from 1980 to 2010. Moreover, there are ways to revert to imprisonment
by promoting employment, wage growth, and investing in education.

Contact Reporter, Pass the U.S. Sentencing Reform Bill to Rein in Mass Incarceration. The Los
Angeles Times. February 17, 2016. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-edcriminal-justice-20160215-story.html
The article reads that the senate bill passed; that will release a large portion of the low
offense inmates, is being threatened by exaggerated accusations that it would release thousands
of violent criminals. The bill if passed would place limits on mandatory minimum sentences and
in some cases the bill will allow for retroactive provisions. The bill would persecute those only
who were willfully engaged in the crime. In addition, the article reads that criminal intent is an
important principle but has contrasting opinions due to the fear of it being harder to persecute
white-collar and environmental crimes.
This article is from the LA Times and uses sources from the chief justice John G Roberts
Jr. In addition, the articles use claims from state senate Ted Cruz, Charles E. Grassley, and Orrin.
This articles explains the pros and cons of release inmates with low offenses from jail or prison
and explains the debate between the senate. This source can be used to describe some of the
effects exiting imates may have in the community and the results of social programs.

Ferner, Matt, These Programs Are Helping Prisoners Live Again On the Outside. The Huffington
Post. September 09, 2015. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/if-we-want-fewer-

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prisoners-we-need-more-compassion-when-they-re-entersociety_us_55ad61a5e4b0caf721b39cd1
In this web source Matt ferner from The Huffington Post describes the issues upon the
release of inmates and the few lifelines that are given to inmates during the rehabilitation
process. Ferner describes a few of the programs available across the U.S such as the Louisiana
states re-entry court program, which allows for younger inmates who are eligible to learn a trade
upon their release. Which is similar to Californias San Quentin Prison program which offers
college level courses to inmates. With programs with educations and public assistance has shown
in 2013 studies given by the National Criminal Justice Reference Service found that in-prison
education effectively lowered recidivism. In a likewise manner Ferner describes Washingtons
state have found that human services provide a suite of programs to many ex-inmates such as
substance abuse, job training, employment, and many other services.
The article continues with many of the life needs for re-entry into society. The basic six
needs as stated in the articles are Livelihood, residence, family, health, criminal justice
compliance, and social connections. In addition to the 6 needs for re-entry to society Is seen to be
the success in the community and ex-offenders need more compassion and understanding from
the criminal justice.
This article exemplifies the many different programs offered throughout a few states for
ex-inmates and demonstrates the ideals behind such programs. This Huffington Post article uses
many sources, exemplifying the many different approached many different states have used for
exiting inmates. The article also illustrates the faulty lifelines that are given to some inmates in
some states.

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Hedges, Chris. Why Mass Incarceration Defines Us as a Society. Smithsonian Magazine.

December 2012 http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/why-mass-incarcerationdefines-us-as-a-society-135793245/?no-ist
In this Smithsonian magazine article by Chris hedges the author illustrates of himself and
Bryan Stevenson walking in Montgomery. Where Hedges exemplifies that commerce street was
one of the most infamous places in the south due to the slave trading. In addition to the history
the author vividly explains the scenarios that took precedence in the era.
Given the history the author reveals Americas ugly truth which no one chooses to talk
about. Associating the enslavement of innocent of the past with the mass imprisonment in the
U.S. Stevenson an important advocate for death-row inmates in the U.S. uses data to argue the
importance of looking at understanding the inmate situation and culpability.
This source can be used to understand the history of the U.S. and why the death penalty
may not be the correct way to go about offenses due to the majority of imprisoned inmates are of
color. The author uses sources from Bryan Stevenson an advocate for adolescents on death row.
The author uses a Ted Presentation by Stevenson to persuade the reader of this information.

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, Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 10913734, Jan2015, Vol. 20, Issue 1
Samantha Hoke describes facts about imprisonment and a brief overview of recidivism of
inmates in the US, healthcare in in prisons, and mental illness. The source exemplifies how
inmates incarcerated across the U.S. at least half have some sort of mental illness. The issue with
mental illness is presented in this article that most mentally ill inmates find themselves to be
subjected to drug abuse and unemployment which attributes to reentering prison.

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The article illustrates statistics of those imprisoned. For example, there are more than 2
million inmates incarcerated throughout the U.S., The author stated that the US has 25% of the
worlds prisoners incarcerated when the US only makes up for 5% of the worlds population. This
article can be used to describe mental illness in prisons and how it affects the parolees when
released to the public. The article gives an overview of the implication of those released without
the proper care such as medication or some type of rehabilitation process.