Topic. Law & Order Politics: The Criminal Justice System in the US.
Imagine you’re discussing incarceration with someone you know, and this person argues that the criminal justice system is neutral, and merely reacts to crime.
According to this person, the reason the criminal justice system is so large today is because crime increased.
TASK
Write an essay explaining how the criminal justice system grew through Law & Order politics, which was a reaction to the socio-political crises faced by elites and created by popular social movements.
In other words, explain how prisons grew because they resolved a political crisis for elites; being tough on crime was politically profitable.
Then, connect this history to current events and conditions. How is Law & Order politics still shaping our society and politics today?
