Midnight Depot

The U.S. prison population is booming, and we're not all equally affected.   In three decades, the prison population has exploded from 300,000 to over two million. There are more people in jails and prisons today just for drug offenses than were incarcerated for all reasons in 1980.   This is mass incarceration.   In this one, we discuss the problem of mass incarceration before starting to get into the premise of Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow: namely, that black men are disproportionately affected by the prison boom, and that this is not an accident.   Anytime race is involved, it's going to be a charged discussion. But it's SO important to talk about, so we want to hear from you. Feel free to share your thoughts on our page.   Recommended Resources:   The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander 13th - A documentary Crips and Bloods: Made in America Ryan's research notes from this episode (sources included)