DSJSW Week Five, Post Two (Synthesis & Connection)

     The criminal justice system is one of the largest, and most intricate systems in the United States, and deals with millions of citizens annually, which is why it is crucial for those pursuing the line of social work understand how it is patterned and administrated through a social justice lens. 

While the United States is home to only 5% of the world's population, the country makes up 25% of the world's prison population. When breaking these numbers down even further, it can be understood that 1/3 black men will go to prison at some point in their lifetime, while only 1/17 white men will. Furthermore, while the US population is only 6.5% black men, they make up more than 40% of the US prison population as a whole. This disparity become even more obvious when it is understood that black people are shown to not be using or selling drugs at a higher rate than white people, but rather are policed and targeted more heavily and are given longer and harsher sentences. 

    It is important to understand the difference between a prison and a jail as well. While often times criminal justice reform conversations are focused and centered around prisons, it is important that jails are also understood, as the system interacts with more people on average. Prison is a state or federal facility that houses people that have been convicted of a crime, while jail holds people serving sentences of one year or less, or pre-trial. While 600,000-700,000 people are admitted into prison annually, 12 million people are admitted into local jails annually. Due to jail being used as a solve-all, many people in jail are there for non-violent offenders who simply cannot afford bail. Bail, which was created as a way to get people out of jail, is now a tool used to keep people in. People that cannot afford these costs are then forced to sit in jail until their trial. However, this is not the only fine they will face. Oftentimes, jails charge room fees, lab testing, drug testing and probation supervision, which are all extremely high costs that the many low-income people that pass through jail cannot afford. Due to an increased push in communities to build larger jails that they cannot afford, local governments try to pay for it through the people that are admitted into the jails, which creates a vicious cycle that many cannot escape. This has led to thousands of people sitting in jail due to simple traffic violations or related fees that they just cannot afford. 

It is also crucial to understand how the United States got to the point of incarcerating the highest percentage of it's population compared to any other country, and many say that the use of force and approaches to drug abuse have created overflowing prison and jail populations, as well as tensions between the police and their communities. In Ferguson, Missouri, an investigation into law enforcement led by national experts found that 16,000 out of the 21,000 citizens had outstanding warrants. Furthermore, 85 percent of vehicle stops, 93 percent of arrests, 88 percent of use of force incidents, and 95 percent of jailed residents were of black people, even though only 67 percent of the community is black. There are four main concerns when it comes to use of force between the police and citizens - First, the killing of unarmed black people, homeless individuals, and people with mental illness or disabilities. Second, is the use (or lack thereof) of dash/car and body cameras. Third, the limited criminal prosecution of law enforcement officers involved in unjustified killings. Lastly, the perception of fear by law enforcement as the standard for using deadly force. Ten percent of people shot by police are unarmed, while only 11/65 officers have been charged with fatally shooting someone have been convicted. 

    Social work plays an important role in the criminal justice system. This include prisoner re-entry and restorative justice initiatives, service provision and evaluation in courts, jails, probation/parole, combating human trafficking, advocation for local, state, and national reform, and prevention and intervention with those at increased rick of encountering the criminal justice system. 

    By using a lens of social justice when approaching such a complex topic, it becomes easier to understand the structural errors within the system that is supposed to keep people safe, not demonize them. By understanding in what way people of color, houseless people, and the mentally ill are unfairly targeted and subjected to abuse, it is much easier to fully understand the implications of the issues at hand, and thus work to create a solution.