In the article written by Michael Fletcher, his thesis is
that when the incarceration rate increases, so too does the crime rate because
the community is destabilized when the incarceration rate increases.
The paper written by Fletcher describes how a community
reacts when citizens are incarcerated increasingly. One of the major reasons for the destabilization
of the community is that when the population begins to be arrested at higher
rates, the members of the community begin to see prison as their fate and act
accordingly. This means that community
crime is going to go up because of the attitude that they will go to prison
eventually anyway, so why not “get theirs” while they can. Also, when the community members are being
arrested, there is an economic impact to that community which means that
individuals will begin to make ends meet by committing crimes.
Fletcher also talks about how the social impact goes beyond
how individuals view their situation.
The impact of incarceration also includes that when criminals are
released back to their community, they have a limited role to contribute to
society. When an individual commits a
felony and is incarcerated, they lose certain rights, including voting, and the
ability to own a business. Also, being
released from prison allows for less job opportunities, which in turn leads
them back to crime. Felons may see their
future as not including a proper career, and they see illegal activity as a way
to supplement their income. Another
economic impact is that of social programs.
When an individual gets released from prison and cannot find a job, they
must rely on social programs, such as welfare, which put an economic strain on,
not only the community, but the county and state as well.
I agree with Fletcher’s thesis in that it is understandable
to see how a higher incarceration rate may lead to a higher crime rate. Examples given by Fletcher through his
investigation of the Tallahassee community, leads me to agree with his thesis.
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