Using Creative Engagement to Address Racial Disparities in Incarceration
Incarceration rates nationwide reflect a troubling certainty about the United States: we put people of color behind bars at a much higher rate than their white counterparts. While the lifetime likelihood of incarceration for black men born in 2001 is 1 in 3, it is only 1 in 17 for white men. The disparities in rates for women are much more dramatic, with a black woman’s likelihood being 1 in 18 compared to a white woman’s 1 in 111 chance. New Jersey has the biggest gap between black and white incarceration rates in the nation, with black residents behind bars at 12 times the rate of white residents. These statistics are troubling whether or not you consider that the United States is the incarceration capital of the entire world, holding 21% all imprisoned individuals on the planet. American citizens, in general, are at a statistically greater risk of being incarcerated. However, it is important to realize and shine a light on the additional risk people of color have of imprisonment.
When we look at the disparities on both national and state levels, we must consider ways to discuss and address the disproportionate rates of incarceration. Beyond New Jersey, in ten other states at least 1 in 20 adult black males is in prison. It’s bigger than New Jersey. It’s bigger than the midwest or the east coast. It’s a national issue that needs to be addressed through education and awareness. Storytelling and awareness projects such as The Sentencing Project and The Marshall Project are of the caliber needed to call out the disparities that plague not only New Jersey, but the United States as a whole. A creative and personal approach to educating others on state and national disparities is incredibly important to identify such issues.
In an effort to portray disparities on the state level, specifically New Jersey, I put together a project that aimed to illustrate how incarceration rates differ between county lines. Using an augmented reality platform, I included photos and demographic statistics on multiple New Jersey counties, such as Essex, Warren, Atlantic, and Middlesex counties. Individuals interacting with my project were able to obtain information about a county of interest. After viewing the demographic information on a county, individuals were able to use a prototype for an app/website designed to show individuals how accessible services are to them in a specific county. Using the app and interacting with the information is intended to make the issue more personal to those who may not have to ever look for a service themselves.
Last week, I was able to attend an event that, like my project’s intent, put other elements of incarceration into perspective. The documentary theater piece titled Life, Death, Life Again: Children Sentenced to Die in Prison, written by Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg, features the powerful stories of incarcerated individuals. The piece features interviews with people who were convicted of crimes they committed as children and sentenced to life. It also features family members of murder victims who have chosen to forgive and reconcile with the youth who killed their loved ones. Understanding the process of forgiveness among the family of victims was powerful in helping me understand that incarceration and putting people behind bars is much bigger than a day in a courtroom and a lifetime of anger and grief. The importance of this piece and other projects aimed at putting things into perspective for individuals is a useful tool in addressing the incarceration issue that plagues counties, states, and the entire nation.
