Passage
In 2010, the United States (U.S.) had an incarcerated population of about 1.6 million, up from about 300,000 in 1980. Some experts suggest that the exponential rise in the inmate population has been largely due to the "war on drugs," initiated in the 1980s, which led to more aggressive laws against drug use and distribution. Increases in arrests and imprisonment, however, have not affected all segments of the U.S. population equally. Although the total population was about 50% male in 2010, the prison population was about 93% male and reflective of additional racial and ethnic disparities (Figure 1) .
Figure 1 Total population and prison population by race and ethnicity in the United States in 2010Research suggests that black and white people use drugs at similar rates, but black people are more likely to end up in the criminal justice system for drug use. This overrepresentation of black people in the prison population can be partly explained by discrimination at the individual and institutional levels. For example, if police departments focus their resources in predominantly black neighborhoods based on the assumption that black individuals are more likely to commit a crime, then police officers (who may similarly believe black people commit more crimes than white people) are more likely to witness black people committing crimes, thereby confirming the belief. Discrimination operates at every level of the criminal justice system: Black people are more likely than white people to be arrested, prosecuted, and convicted for drug use and receive, on average, longer sentences.High rates of recidivism also perpetuate the demographic disparity of the prison population. It is estimated that about 75% of released prisoners will be rearrested within five years. Experts suggest that, once convicted of a felony, individuals find that their status as a former felon (or "ex-convict") dominates all their other statuses, making it difficult to reintegrate into society. The social stigma of criminality makes it hard for ex-convicts to secure employment, which often leads to further crime. Ex-convicts are also more closely monitored by police and far more likely to be arrested and convicted for minor offenses.
-Which of the following helps explain the demographic disparities of the prison population described in the passage?

Question

Passage
In 2010, the United States (U.S.) had an incarcerated population of about 1.6 million, up from about 300,000 in 1980. Some experts suggest that the exponential rise in the inmate population has been largely due to the "war on drugs," initiated in the 1980s, which led to more aggressive laws against drug use and distribution. Increases in arrests and imprisonment, however, have not affected all segments of the U.S. population equally. Although the total population was about 50% male in 2010, the prison population was about 93% male and reflective of additional racial and ethnic disparities (Figure 1) .

Figure 1 Total population and prison population by race and ethnicity in the United States in 2010Research suggests that black and white people use drugs at similar rates, but black people are more likely to end up in the criminal justice system for drug use. This overrepresentation of black people in the prison population can be partly explained by discrimination at the individual and institutional levels. For example, if police departments focus their resources in predominantly black neighborhoods based on the assumption that black individuals are more likely to commit a crime, then police officers (who may similarly believe black people commit more crimes than white people) are more likely to witness black people committing crimes, thereby confirming the belief. Discrimination operates at every level of the criminal justice system: Black people are more likely than white people to be arrested, prosecuted, and convicted for drug use and receive, on average, longer sentences.High rates of recidivism also perpetuate the demographic disparity of the prison population. It is estimated that about 75% of released prisoners will be rearrested within five years. Experts suggest that, once convicted of a felony, individuals find that their status as a former felon (or "ex-convict") dominates all their other statuses, making it difficult to reintegrate into society. The social stigma of criminality makes it hard for ex-convicts to secure employment, which often leads to further crime. Ex-convicts are also more closely monitored by police and far more likely to be arrested and convicted for minor offenses.
-Which of the following helps explain the demographic disparities of the prison population described in the passage?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

11ecba2d_0d54_36b6_a3bf_77b04b889b41_MD0008_00 The intersectionality approach describes how all individuals hold multiple, interconnected identities that simultaneously impact their lives and perspectives. For example, being female is not the only identity that affects how a woman sees, experiences, or is treated in the world. Her experiences and perspectives are also a product of her other identities (eg, race/ethnicity, class, sexual orientation). With respect to incarceration, the U.S. prison population is both disproportionately black and disproportionately male, placing individuals who are black and male at the intersection of statuses most represented in prisons. Although white males are more likely to be incarcerated than black females, black males are more likely to be imprisoned than white males. (Choice A) Social reproduction refers to the transmission of society's values, norms, and practices, including social inequality, from one generation to the next. Children with a parent who has been incarcerated are more (not less) likely to be incarcerated themselves. The passage does not mention generational effects on prison demographics. (Choice B) Occupational prestige is a measure of the respect and esteem (prestige) of a given occupation. Occupations requiring the most education are generally ranked highest. However, the passage does not mention occupational status or prestige. (Choice C) Social capital refers to one's social network and the value of those connections. Although one may have connections in the criminal justice system who can impact outcomes, the example given here addresses only sex/gender disparities. Racial disparities are more emphasized in the passage, and both racial and sex/gender disparities are accounted for with intersectionality. Educational objective: An intersectional analysis argues that people hold several statuses (group memberships) simultaneously, which must be considered together in understanding an individual's overall perspective and experience. An individual does not operate simply based on race, gender, or any other social identity alone, but more specifically as (for example) a young black male, a white heterosexual female, or a working-class Hispanic female.

Passage In 2010, the United States (U.S.) Had an Incarcerated Population