"The New Jim Crow" (Michelle Alexander)

"The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander argues that mass incarceration in the United States functions as a contemporary system of racial control, akin to the Jim Crow laws that enforced racial segregation. Alexander details how the War on Drugs disproportionately targets Black and brown communities, leading to high incarceration rates and social stigma. She contends that this system strips individuals of their rights and perpetuates racial inequality, effectively creating a caste system that limits access to employment, housing, and education, reinforcing cycles of poverty and marginalization. The book calls for a reevaluation of justice and systemic reforms.