The U.S. Criminal Justice System Social Class, Inequalities, and how families are affected

Our Prison Population In the U.S., our prison population exceeds the entire combined population of Wyoming and Alaska We have more prisoners than any other nation in the world, regardless of crime rate Most inmates are nonviolent offenders. America spends more on prisons that aid for families (TANF) or education When it comes to intervention, prisons seem to be the institution of choice.

Social Class Inequality The poor are greatly over-represented in prisons; why? –Less able public defenders with heavy case loads –Stereotypes about the poor and “street crimes” –Stereotypes about minorities Over-reliance on faulty eye-witness testimony –Using jails to manage homeless and mentally disabled/disordered

Family Patterns Affected Children grow up in single parent households Decreases household income Increases need for foster care Adds to instability and chaos in the child’s life Adds to feelings of hopelessness about the future

Juvenile Offenders During the early 20 th century, the nation has developed laws to ensure that children have a separate justice system that focuses more on rehabilitation. During the latter part of the century, attempts have been made to dismantle these objectives. Congress has proposed legislation to gut crime prevention and rehabilitation PREVENTION COSTS LESS THAN IMPRISONMENT

What happens when you lock ‘em up? Children who are tried as adults have higher recidivism rates Children in adult institutions: –are 500% more likely to be sexually assaulted –Are 200% more likely to be beaten by staff –Are 50% more likely to be attacked with a weapon

The media exaggerates the teen crime rate, leading to public fear and overreaction! The facts –Only 6% of juveniles were arrested in 1994, the majority of whom only came into contact with the juv justice system once –The percentage of violent crimes committed by juveniles is low (13%) –Less than ½% of juveniles commit the most serious violent crimes, rape and murder.