The New Jim Crow

"The New Jim Crow," a concept popularized by Michelle Alexander in her book of the same name, argues that mass incarceration in the United States functions similarly to the Jim Crow laws that enforced racial segregation. It suggests that systemic racism in the criminal justice system disproportionately impacts African Americans, leading to their overrepresentation in prisons. This process creates a racial caste system, stripping many individuals of basic rights and opportunities, paralleling the historical discrimination of the Jim Crow era. Alexander calls for greater awareness and reform to address these deep-rooted injustices in society.