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  • April 2020 (Revised June 2020)
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Race and Mass Incarceration in the United States

By: Reshmaan N. Hussam and Holly Fetter
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:45
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Abstract

The late 20th century saw a dramatic shift in the criminal justice system of the United States. While incarceration rates had remained stable through the 1960s, they quintupled by the 2000s to 707 per 100,000, far exceeding that of all other nations in the world. By 2020, nearly 2.3 million individuals were locked up in U.S. prisons, jails, and detention centers. Of these, 60% were Black or Latinx. Why the mass incarceration, and why such disparities by race? Were they responses to recent political and economic shifts, or part of a deeper social and cultural history? And what could be done to address what was now widely recognized by policymakers as a crisis of the criminal justice system in the United States?

Keywords

Criminal Justice System; Incarceration; Race; Prejudice and Bias; United States

Citation

Hussam, Reshmaan N., and Holly Fetter. "Race and Mass Incarceration in the United States." Harvard Business School Case 720-034, April 2020. (Revised June 2020.)
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About The Author

Reshmaan N. Hussam

Business, Government and the International Economy
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Related Work

    • February 2021
    • Faculty Research

    Race and Mass Incarceration in the United States

    By: Reshmaan Hussam
    • April 2020 (Revised June 2020)
    • Faculty Research

    Race and Mass Incarceration in the United States

    By: Reshmaan N. Hussam and Holly Fetter
Related Work
  • Race and Mass Incarceration in the United States By: Reshmaan Hussam
  • Race and Mass Incarceration in the United States By: Reshmaan N. Hussam and Holly Fetter
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