Mass Incarceration in the Black Community

This chapter will highlight the unprecedented history of the incarceration of Black males in the United States and its harmful effects on Black communities. Points of discussion will include how Blacks perceive the current American legal system as well as the devastation created for families and communities mentally, emotionally, financially, and socially when compared to other ethnic groups. For many Black families, their children are a perceived “threat” in the minds of White fragility before committing their first offense. Due to the ongoing injustices in Black America, members of the community have created their street justice, or street codes, which governs neighbors as law enforcement is not to be trusted. As the continuous cycle of imprisonment, physically and mentally, continues to plague most Black communities, the question remains. Will Blacks be perceived as citizens in White America?