In 2020, progressive groups in the U.S. began to turn public attention toward the plights of incarcerated individuals. The more light we shed on the murky inner workings of our prison system, the more disturbed Americans have become.
Progressive activists have started to call for the reform of all things carceral; the police, prisons, and the military.
This might cause you to wonder: what does prison reform really look like? well, we believe that it begins with caring for incarcerated people and treating them with dignity.
Keep reading, and we’ll tell you all about the importance of caring for and believing in the humanity of incarcerated people.
Lower Recidivism Rates
When incarcerated people are treated with care, they are much more likely to lead productive lives after they are released. Prison inmates both need and deserve access to proper food, exercise, human interaction, and health care.
When inmates do not receive proper care in prison, it is difficult for them to learn skills that they can use in the outside world.
Lack of care also leads to bitterness, distrust of authority, and apathy. These qualities can make someone likely to continue committing crimes and eventually return to prison even after they are released.
The Fight for Racial Equity
There’s a reason that the Black Lives Matter movement chose to shine a light on the U.S. prison system; it is chock-full of racial biases. Police unfairly target people of color, which leads to the same people ending up with harsh prison sentences.
BLM activists have suggested that this may not be a coincidence. Instead, it may be part of an effort to keep these people from voting, running for office, and building communities.
To keep marginalized communities safe, we need to ensure that prison inmates receive fair treatment. These human beings deserve voting rights, safety, and community integration services after release.
Respect For Human Dignity
Incarcerated individuals deserve better treatment than they currently get. This statement is easy to prove correct. However, this is an argument that no one should need to have; the truth should be obvious.
Incarcerated people deserve better care because simply put, they are human beings.
All human beings deserve health care, food and water, safe shelter, contact with their loved ones, and more.
Many human beings make mistakes and even break the law. Those human beings still deserve the necessities of life.
If you know someone who is currently incarcerated, contact with you could go a long way in preserving their human dignity. For more information about finding an inmate, read on here.
Stand Up for Incarcerated Individuals
It’s easier than you think to do your part for incarcerated individuals. Write to your representatives in Congress and ask them to stand for the fair treatment of prison inmates.
Remember that “liberty and justice for all” is an achievable goal only when all people are considered human.
For more news and opportunities for political action, check out the rest of our blog!
