As Congress continues a government shutdown that's gone on for nearly two weeks, the issue of mass incarceration just might be something both parties can agree on.
During a House subcommittee oversight hearing on the Federal Bureau of Prisons held the week prior to the shutdown, Rep. Spencer Bachus told subcommittee members that the United States imprisons almost three times as many blacks today as South Africa did during apartheid. This was just one, and perhaps the most shocking of the statistics Bacchus, a Republican from Alabama presented at the meeting.
Taking the lead on an issue of social justice was a surprising turn for a conservative who is known for being tough on crime. In 2000, Bachus opposed a bill that would have increased funding for alternative sentencing for low-level, non-violent criminals. This presentation signals a change of heart for the outgoing Republican congressman.
Alternet details the rest of the subcommittee’s hearing, which included information about the astronomical rise in the prison population. This population, which remained at about 24,000 for most of the 20th century, skyrocketed to nearly a quarter million in the 1980s. The quick rise in the prison population can be attributed to two main factors.
The first is the war on drugs started by Ronald Regan in the 1980s, with its mandatory sentencing and three strikes laws. Three decades after its implementation, most would agree the so-called war on drugs has disproportionately affected poor minority communities, prompting some to call it "the new Jim Crow."
The second factor contributing to the swelling prison population is the gradual privatization of the prison industry in America, which has resulted in a focus on profits rather than justice. According to Alternet, this privatization comes at a big price to taxpayers:
"If the beds aren't filled, states are required to pay the prison companies for the empty space, which means taxpayers are largely left to deal with the bill that might come from lower crime and imprisonment rates. Most privately built prisons mandate 90%-occupancy rates according to the new report by In The Public Interest. The incentive to do so is big."
As a result, the prison system is now a $6 billion annual industry. With more than 7 million adults in jail, the US currently leads the world in incarcerating its residents. Over the past 30 years, the prison population has more than quadrupled, mostly due to seemingly minor drug offenses that disproportionately affect African Americans.
On the heels of this astounding report, both Democrats and Republicans say they are in favor of a complete overhaul of the justice system, which has been accused of being unjust and unsuccessful for years. Each party agreed that a bloated prison population is ineffective: it creates a dangerous environment for prisoners and guards and bankrupts taxpayers without actually doing anything to rehabilitate criminals:
"'There has to be an effort to reduce the population,'" Bureau of Prisons Director Charles Samuels Jr. told the subcommittee. Soon after. Rep. Bobby Scott, the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee joined forces with Bachus and Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz to sponsor a House reform bill, signaling a rare moment of bi-partisan agreement."
In an age of divisive politics, this cross-party unity indicates just how profound an issue mass incarceration has become. While this is a step in the right direction, it remains to be seen if the subcommittee will be able to create the momentum required to break through one of the country's most divided partisan moments in recent history.
