INTRO

 In 1954, the year of the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, about 100,000 African Americans were incarcerated in America’s prisons and jails. In result of that decision, there has been a half-century of enhanced opportunity for many people whom it had previously denied, allowing a significant number of people of color have found themselves with leadership positions in society. Despite this sustained progress, the figure of 100,000 African Americans incarcerated has now escalated to nearly 900,000 within our criminal justice systems (Department of Justice, 2016). If three current trends continue, 1 in every 3 African American male born today can expect to face a prison sentence in his lifetime, as can 1 in every 6 Latino male, compared to 1 in 17 for White males. For women, the figures are overall lower, however, the racial and ethnic disparities are similar: 1 in every 18 African American female, 1 in every 45 Hispanic females, and 1 in every 111 for White females can expect a prison sentence in their lifetime (Bonczar, 2003).

[Note: Criminal justice data on other racial groups, including Native Americans and Asians/Pacific Islanders, is generally very scarce and, therefore, this analysis generally focuses on trends regarding African Americans and Latinos. Available data, though, documents that Native Americans are incarcerated at more than twice the rate of Whites, while Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders have the lowest incarceration rate of any racial/ethnic group (Hartney & Vuong, 2009).]

• There are, in theory, varying factors that may be responsible for the mass incarceration situation the United States faces today. The contributing factors include the relative degree of involvement in thee crime, biased decision making, and disparate law enforcement practices, sentencing and parole policies. In my research, I analyze the relative contributions these factors have, as well as the historical presence behind them.