(wl-4350)-Mass Incarceration in US Unveiled: Trends, Disparities, Implications, and Beyond

Prisons, akin to other spaces, have given rise to a set of inequalities unique to those subjected to incarceration. The lasting impact of physical confinement extends far beyond the prison walls, creating invisible barriers that hinder individuals from leading a normal life post-incarceration through the coupling of socio-economic disadvantages. This social inequality, enduring due to its invisibility, cumulative nature, and intergenerational impact, encompasses various threats to an orderly civic life - exacerbated recidivism, unemployment, poor health, and family instability. Hence, incarceration appears to stand as a paradox to its initial ideals and principles. Through the lens of economics, we unravel the threads of disparities and stratification that plague the prison as a social institution in the US. The extensive growth in the prison and jail population of America has reshaped the contours of inequality that has crystallised within the penal system. We utilise the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY), a rare longitudinal study tracking respondents, including those incarcerated over decades. Our analysis spans from 1979 to 2020 and empirically studies the economic and social disparities within the American incarceration system. The empirical details reveal startling results as a product of the swirling tides of time. We observe a significantly disproportionate rate of incarceration among specific demographics, notably highest among young African American men who have not completed high school education. Furthermore, the practice of excluding the prison population from employment surveys conceals inherent perils and underplays the extent of inequality, posing significant drawbacks to informed policy-making.