Race and Gender
Race, poverty/inequality, and mass incarceration have a relationship that is heavily supported by research. For instance, (Center for Community Change ) highlighted that the U.S economy more than doubled in three-decade before the Great Depression. Still, the poverty rate remained unchanged and, thus, very high. During this period, incarceration increased rapidly by 342% from 111 to 491 for every 100000 citizens. The rise in crime cannot be associated with crime trends but from the government’s strict measures on crime such as stringent drug policies, stop-and-frisk, mandatory sentencing, and harsh treatment of parole violations. The U.S has the highest rate of incarceration across the globe, with 730 prisoners for every 100000 citizens. More than 60% of those in prison are African Americans and Latinos. In this consideration, race, mass incarceration, and inequality depict relationships. African American and Latino economic power is low due to the high inequality that exists in the country, and thus many are poor compared to their White counterparts. Due to the high level of poverty among the African Americans and Latinos in the country, it subjects them to vulnerabilities of failing to adhere to laid down laws by the government, resulting in mass incarceration. Comparing the number of blacks in prison to that of whites, it displays disproportionate of the impact of lives among different races. The population of African Americans sentenced in prison continues to rise over time while that of whites decreases. The living standards of African Americans compared to that of Whites are low, and this subjects them to indulgence in crimes. With low income and high levels of poverty among African Americans, it makes it difficult to provide basic needs to their family appropriately, a factor that leads them to crime. Poverty hinders African from access to a good education that can guarantee them good employment in the future. This consideration heightens the chances of low living standards that require much effort for them to reach the higher class in our social caste. For an individual to achieve a higher class, they need adequate money to buy properties that match that status and maintain that lifestyle.
Social inequality influences mass incarceration in our society. Strain theory adequately explains how social inequality leads to mass incarceration and also recidivism. The society has set standards that an individual should accomplish for him to be significant. The pressure society has put on specific people such as male expected to provide for the family subjects them to indulge in crimes. Thus, strain theory can effectively highlight the relationship between race, poverty, and mass incarceration. When reflecting a relationship that exists between race, inequality, and mass incarceration, there are interrelated, specifically, the level of living standards. It is essential to highlight that the U.S Census measurement of 15.1% in 2010 estimated that roughly 45million Americans live under the poverty level. Further, significant racial disparities in poverty were outlined with African Americans having 27.4%, Latinos 26.6%, and 9.9% of non-Hispanic Whites. With many people living under the poverty line in the U.S, it increases their vulnerability to mass incarceration. The government has stiffened the laws that purpose to control some of the crimes that negatively affect the community, such as drugs. Thus, law enforcement officers have the authority to stop and conduct searches resulting in many people, specifically those in living below the poverty line. Poverty plays a great role in an individual joining a gang that exists in our community and also, ghettos occupied by low-income earners. They join gangs as they focus on dealing with the pressure instilled by society, as highlighted by Robert K. Merton. When an individual join gangs, they have to adhere to their subculture for him/her to be accommodated as a member. Some of the conditions for an individual to be a gang member include indulgence in drug dealings. Drug dealing in the U.S remains a huge crime that subjects many people to incarceration. Moreover, poverty has subjected a huge number of people to drug abuse, an issue that leads to increased domestic violence. Domestic violence has led many people to incarnation and also divorce, halting the welfare of the children and spouses. With a divorce, it heightens struggles among many families to the extent some cannot afford to provide for their children basic needs such as shelter and food. With these struggles, some children find themselves in the street homeless and increase their vulnerability of indulging in criminal activities to sustain their livelihoods. The disparity in terms of income halts the ability for some people to get the required education. For a child to perform excellently for them to qualify in high school, it requires concentration and consistency, which is lacking when faced with financial and domestic difficulties. Thus, many people with the required ability have been affected by poverty to the extent that they have failed to realize their potential. Education in the current times remains a significant factor that guarantees people a monthly salary that can be relied upon to improve the livelihood. However, a disparity that exists in our country is huge, with some people having education while others have not reached the highest milestones. The gap is reflected in income where some have to earn low while others have adequate to sustain their families and guarantee their children’s education. Some struggle to provide education to their children resulting in some indulging in criminal activities to sustain their livelihoods in the long-run.
Mass incarceration has played a crucial role in heightening inequality in our society. With a massive number of people incarcerated, it increases the level of inequality in the country. Some of the incarcerated are fathers and mothers who are the breadwinner in a family. In this consideration, when confined, families face difficulty coping with some of the situations they experience, such as basic needs. Lacking or inadequate basic needs means the level of dependency is high, while families that have both parents working towards improving their lifestyles and situations have chances of improving the inequality that exists. Inequality exists in our society when some people do not have an opportunity to work and earn or earn low compared to others. In most cases, when a breadwinner is incarcerated, it means dependents live hand to mouth an issue that halts their chances of accomplishing some of their desires in life, such as education level. Some breadwinners receive lengthy incarceration, and in most cases, it defines their dependents’ situation, such as children. Children may fail to realize their goals resulting in a vicious cycle of poverty. The vicious cycle means those in poverty fail to achieve success generation after generation.
Gender and racial inequalities are similar in different ways, such as stereotyping. The two receive discriminations based on stereotyping with people treatment define on their gender or race. They are also similar on grounds their color and gender determine their income. Women and minorities continue to fight for equal pay in the country. Gender and race are similar, considering they are perceived to have low ability compared with the majority and males specifically on competence and potential. Social constructs exist for both gender inequalities and also race, where ethnicity is evident in our society. People have attached much consideration to race and even gender, a factor that has led to the realization of individual discrimination. Individual discrimination has resulted in people of a specific group or membership subjected to prejudicial treatment.
The difference that exists between gender and race is the inclusion of white women; they are discriminated against. White women are not treated differently when it comes to gender inequality that exists in our society. In a real example, America has never elected any woman as a president despite Clinton coming close. However, it has been ruled by a black president even though it took many years for the people to overcome stereotyping. Looking at feminist theorists and those involved in a movement that focuses on reducing the inequality of women composes of white and black women, among other races. Social constructionist emphasizes that people develop knowledge of the world in a social context. Much of what we view as a reality solely depends on the shared assumptions. Thus, how women are perceived in our society heavily depends on how shared assumptions are embraced by people to the extent they are viewed as natural and normal. The social constructionist offers an explanation of the difference that exists between gender and race inequality. It is about shared assumptions in a specific social context that makes people view women and males differently while also propelling stereotypes. The feminist movement contains all women, both blacks and whites, since they are subjected to similar inequalities due to gender. Some of the issues reflected by feminists include maternity leave, equal pay, sexual harassment, domestic violence, among other factors that affect women. In this consideration, it is clear that all women experience gender inequality, while race inequalities heavily affect non-white males and women. Another difference that exists between race and gender inequality is the issue of white privilege. Non-whites are heavily racially profiled and, in some cases, feel they are not equally represented in different areas such as institution leadership.
Some sociologists critique American democracy due to continuous inequality that exists in our country. The level of capitalism in this country halts the poor’s possibility of going from class to another. The bourgeois still owns the production factors, and the proletariats have to rely on them without much power to change the situation. The low wages paid to the proletariat hinder them from improving their lifestyle, considering the economic crisis that exists evidenced by inflation. Thus, the bourgeois has the power to control the proletariat, a factor that enables them to maximize profit continuously. In this perspective, sociologists view democracy has not helped the country in reducing inequality. People have the right to decide how they can pay their workers without the intervention of the government. Moreover, due to society having a high level of unemployment, people are willing to work even with low wages. Democracy has not addressed some of the critical issues that enable equality in the distribution of growth evidenced by some areas such as ghettos occupied by low-income earners. Some areas are well-developed through industries and other infrastructures that attract investors, while in some counties, they remain poor and attract only low-income earners and the low class in our society.
The poor and middle class have not voted to demand a greater share due to numerous factors. The trust of the people has been left in the hands of legislators who act as their representatives at the Congress. Thus, people’s welfare heavily depends on the commitment of their representatives and interests for a better America. However, leaders always frustrate the electorate by failing to lobby for equality in the distribution of economic gains and growth. The representatives uphold the interests of the high class in the caste and forgetting the poor and the middle class. The representatives fail to live by their manifestos that play a crucial role in defining the best candidate in terms of the interests of the people. Thus, the structure of governance does not allow people to vote to demand a more significant share directly, but through the representatives. When the interests or the upper-class compromises representatives, the situation of the poor remains the same.
Theories such as labeling theory can explain why the movement has not been propelling equality. Those in power and active in politics label these groups as insignificant or are associated with a negative aspect that would result in the arresting of their members. The movements, in some cases, are compromised by politicians when they indulge in criticism. These movements are compromised to enable social policies that do not reach the required threshold to pass without much difficulty. When a movement is associated with indulging in criminal activities when protesting, it calls for law authority to intervene and disrupt meetings. In some cases, their freedom of speech is curtailed by law enforcement authority disrupts their meetings.