1. M. Alexander claims that the main explanation of why so many people are sent to jail in the U.S. today is deeply wrong. Explain her argument by referring to the various examples she mentions to backup her point. (see p. 1-2)

In the text M. Alexander explains that the war on drugs and the law and order movement that targeted drug and non violent offenders was an explanation as to why people are sent to jail in the U.S. In the text m. Alexander states that the war on drugs was launched in response to crack cocaine and it was officially announced by Ronald Reagan in 1982. She also credits the media for the images of “crack babies”, “crack whores”, and “crack dealers” in helping perpetuating the racial stereotypes thus helping to catapult the War on Drugs in poor black communities.

2. Why is it that racial disparities in the rates of incarceration “cannot be explained by rates of drug crimes”?

Racial disparities in the rates of incarceration “cannot be explained by rates of drugs crimes” because as M. Alexander states the war on drugs started in 1982 and crack cocaine did not start emerging in boor black communities until after the war on drugs was declared. The rates of incarcerations should be traced back to the law and order movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

3. How do you understand the phrase: “the American penal system has emerged as a system of social control unparalleled in world history.”?

I understand this phrase to mean that In America the penal system has emerged as a way to control minorities by labeling them as criminals as they go through a system that sets them up to fail compared to other countries who may have the higher rate of crimes but there rate of incarceration is far less.