Monthly Archives: January 2011
Can we end mass incarceration without mentioning race?
By Alan Bean The criminal justice reform movement has two distinct branches that may have trouble sharing a common message or strategy. The first branch of reformers is best represented by Michelle Alexander’s “New Jim Crow” thesis. Alexander sees the war on drugs as primarily an … Continue reading
Does banning the noose change anything?
For the fourth straight year, Texas congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee has introduced an anti-noose bill. The Noose Hate Crime Act of 201 stipulates that “Whoever, with intent to harass or intimidate any person because of that person’s race, color, religion, or national … Continue reading
When the Devil plays God
By Alan Bean “The devil will sometimes play the part of God and let things happen.” Byron De La Beckwith Jr. The Jackson Clarion Ledger has published two articles stemming from an interview with Byron De La Beckwith Jr. Byron II … Continue reading
Budget Crunch Offers No Hope for Reduction in Incarceration in Texas
By Dr. Charles Kiker Some pundits have speculated that the budget crises in the states could result in reduced incarceration. After all, reduction in prison populations could save states a bundle. Alan Bean has a couple of recent posts on … Continue reading
Simple Justice reviews “Taking out the Trash in Tulia, Texas”
“That Alan Bean chose to keep his narrative close to the vest, to let the facts do the talking for him rather than ram the moral of this sordid story down the reader’s throat, makes this book a fascinating and consuming read. Be prepared, as once you start reading Taking Out The Trash, chances are you won’t put the book down until you’ve finished.” Continue reading
Death penalty dies a slow death in Illinois
By Alan Bean Eight years ago, Illinois Governor George Ryan declared a moratorium on the death penalty when it was revealed that many “confessions” were coerced. In Chicago, for instance, commander Jon Burge allegedly tortured one hundred eight men between 1973 … Continue reading
Is mass incarceration history?
By Alan Bean Over at Citiwire.net, Neil Peirce has a balanced, informative and succinct report on the growing trend to re-think mass incarceration. What’s driving this reappraisal of lock-em-up policies? Declining tax revenues. The states, which fund the bulk of our prisons, were hit by … Continue reading
Sex and the single black woman: how the mass incarceration of black men hurts black women
“The simplest way to help the black family would be to lock up fewer black men for non-violent offences.” Michelle Alexander recommended this disturbing article in the Economist when she spoke in Dallas last Thursday. Consider this: Some 70% of black babies are … Continue reading
Filed under economics, marriage and family, mass incarceration, New Jim Crow, Race, war on drugs
Probing the roots of political violence
By Alan Bean “The rise in homicide [in the mid-nineteenth century] coincided . . . with a loss of faith in government and in moderate, mainstream political parties . . . Parties that were more aggressive ideologically took their place. … Continue reading
Filed under immigration, political violence, Race, the politics of race, Uncategorized
Faith and Mass Incarceration: An Annotated Bibliography
By Dr. Charles Kiker I thought it would be helpful to list some works I have read which I feel would be helpful in understanding the topic and in working to end the New Jim Crow. 1. First would have … Continue reading
