THE HIDDEN INTENTIONS OF PRISONS: POWER, CONTROL, AND SOCIAL INEQUALITY

Authors

  • Chloe Lau Research Scholars Program, Harvard Student Agencies, In collaboration with Learn with Leaders

Keywords:

Capitalistic Society, Illusion, Mobilisation, Corruption, Marginalisation, Upper Class

Abstract

This paper attempts to investigate the intention behind prisons with the belief that the underlying nature of prisons is to maintain the authority of those in power in a capitalistic society whilst upholding the illusion of restoring justice with impartiality and equality. Written with the purpose of contributing new perspectives by connecting different sources, it is separated into three sections: a) dismantling the illusion of impartiality set up by prison systems, b) mobilisation of the general populace in supporting mass incarceration, and c) corruption in police culture. Incorporating evidence from philosophical arguments, news articles, and other papers, it is demonstrated that the ruling class (with the support of the police industry) exploits the general population to support them in marginalising minority communities to maintain their status and prevent mobilisation.

References

I. Clegg, J., Spitz, S., Usmani, A., Wolcke, A. (2024) Punishment in Modern Societies: The Prevalence and Causes of Incarceration Around the World. Annual Review of Criminology. Vol. 7:211-231. Available at: https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-criminol-022422-020311.

II. United Nations. “Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners.” Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 14 Dec. 1990, www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/basic-principles-treatment-prisoners.

III. ---. “Juvenile Justice History.” Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, www.cjcj.org/history-education/juvenile-justice-history#:~:text=Juvenile%20Court,juvenile%20justice%20reform%20in%20America.

IV. “---.” Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, ojjdp.ojp.gov/model-programs-guide/literature-reviews/age-boundaries-of-the-juvenile-justice-system#:~:text=The%20juvenile%20justice%20system%20evolved,National%20Research%20Council%2C%202013.

V. Lewis, Clive Staples. “The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment.” BYU ScholarsArchive, 4 Jan. 1987, scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1271&context=irp.

VI. ---. “Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media.” Contemporary Sociology a Journal of Reviews, vol. 18, no. 6, Nov. 1989, p. 937. https://doi.org/10.2307/2074220.

VII. ---. “Punishment in Modern Societies: The Prevalence and Causes of Incarceration Around the World.” Annual Review of Criminology, vol. 7, no. 1, Jan. 2024, pp. 211–31. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-criminol-022422-020311.

VIII. Williams, Hubert. “Core Factors of Police Corruption Across the World.” The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, uploaded by The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Dec. 2002, www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/publications/core_factors.pdf.

IX. Jiménez, J. “Illinois Police Release Body Camera Footage From Sonya Massey’s Death.” The New York Times, 22 July 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/07/22/us/illinois-sonya-massey-body-cam-footage.html.

X. "Autopsy confirms Sonya Massey died from gunshot wound to head, as attorney calls shooting senseless." Kennebec Journal (Augusta, ME), sec. News, 26 July 2024. NewsBank: Access Global NewsBank, https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AWGLNB&req_dat=69E24FE3D09F4B22A0807F8D4366193D&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews/19B431176E709878. Accessed 7 Sept. 2024.

XI. Yan, Holly, et al. “Deputy who killed Sonya Massey was removed from the Army, had DUIs and needed ‘high stress decision’ classes, records show.” CNN News, 1 Aug. 2024, edition.cnn.com/2024/07/27/us/sean-grayson-misconduct-sonya-massey-death/index.html.

XII. Spearie, Steven. "Sonya Massey shooting - 'She needed a helping hand, not a bullet to the face'." State Journal-Register, The (Springfield, IL), SJR-Register ed., sec. News, 29 July 2024, p. A1. NewsBank: Access Global NewsBank, https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AWGLNB&req_dat=69E24FE3D09F4B22A0807F8D4366193D&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews/19A9DFA1940C1480. Accessed 6 Sept. 2024.

Additional Files

Published

15-10-2024

How to Cite

Chloe Lau. (2024). THE HIDDEN INTENTIONS OF PRISONS: POWER, CONTROL, AND SOCIAL INEQUALITY. International Education and Research Journal (IERJ), 10(10). Retrieved from https://ierj.in/journal/index.php/ierj/article/view/3701