Mass Incarceration
Packed Prisons a Result of Misdirected Focus
The Choice Bus Uses Prisoner Perspectives to Discourage Dropping Out
By Christopher Zoukis
In an effort to stem the school-to-prison pipeline and to keep kids in school, the Choice Bus was rolled out to help students understand their options in life, and how their decisions can affect their futures.
The Choice Bus is an initiative of the Mattie C. Stewart Foundation, a national nonprofit created in 2007 to help educators, community leaders and other interested groups reduce the dropout rate and increase the graduation rate. Dr. Shelley Stewart named the foundation in honor of his mother, whose murder he witnessed at the hands of his father at the age of five. The tragic incident put him at risk of poverty, homelessness and dropping out of school. Had it not been for a passionate teacher, Stewart’s life may have gone in a different direction. Instead, education made all the difference in his life.
Read MoreLegacy of Mass Incarceration: Parental Incarceration Impacts One in 14 Children
By Christopher Zoukis A recent study by the research firm Child Trends revealed a stunning consequence of our nation’s policy and practice of mass incarceration: one out of every 14 children in the U.S. has a parent who is currently or has previously been incarcerated. In other words, a staggering seven percent of America’s youth –…
Read MorePrison Misuse a Huge Burden on Taxpayers, Society
By Christopher Zoukis There are myriad issues with the current U.S. system of mass incarceration where more people are imprisoned than any other country in the world, and often in a hugely skewed manner — one which varies widely across states. It’s vital to reduce mass incarceration for the improvement of society, and for the…
Read MoreMuseums Take Measures to Spotlight, Reduce Mass Incarceration
By Christopher Zoukis At a time when museums aim to become more active hubs in communities and are taking stances on social justice issues, some are using their spaces and voices to address the issue of mass incarceration, and as venues to implement new rehabilitation and alternative sentencing programs. Many museums are also learning that…
Read MorePresident Trump Preaches Privatization
by Christopher Zoukis In the weeks and days leading up to the inauguration of Donald Trump, he made several statements about privatization — and his team is full of privatization supporters. From public television, to Veterans Affairs to prisons — there are many things he seems to be considering privatizing. As prisons go, this is…
Read MoreJustice System Throws Poor Kids Into Debtors' Prison
By Christopher Zoukis It is becoming increasingly obvious that zero-tolerance policies contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline, often unfairly punishing youth for offenses that should not be dealt with in the criminal justice system. Involvement in the criminal justice system often kicks off a domino effect toward further interaction with the criminal system. For non-violent offenses…
Read MoreInitiative Examines Mass Incarceration From Past to Present
New initiative aims to foster understanding and discussion on the topic of mass incarceration through the lens of history and current events. By Christopher Zoukis In 2014, the Colorado College history department embarked on an initiative called the Social Issues and Historical Context Initiative, with the goal of demonstrating the connections between history and current…
Read MoreProposed Illinois Life Skills Facility to Benefit Prisoners Poised for Release
Providing education and life skills to help prisoners return to society will be the focus of a refurbished facility that once housed juveniles. By Christopher Zoukis Criminal Justice reform has been a major focus for Governor Bruce Rauner of Illinois, and a number of changes have already been made toward the ultimate goal of reducing…
Read MoreTaking the Charter School Approach to Prison
By Andra Ghent America spends a lot of money locking up a lot of people. Understandably, legislators are trying to find ways of cutting prison costs without increasing crime rates. One tactic legislators increasingly rely on to manage costs is private prisons. Research from the Sentencing Project shows that, between 1999 and 2010, the share…
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