Inequality during Old Age? Incarceration, Wealth, and Preparedness for Retirement in the Mass Incarceration Generation

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

In the 2012 Sutherland Address, David Garland mentions the high rate of imprisonment in the United States, the racial composition of the country's prisons, and the 'disabilities' that follow a felony conviction. Because each is an important aspect of the US penal system, there is much scholarship exploring these topics. My poster adds to the body of literature that analyzes the disadvantages that are associated with having a prison record in the United States. The goal of the poster is to examine the long-term effects of mass incarceration and its reinforcement of structural inequalities in the United States. Specifically, the poster addresses the effect that incarceration has on an ex-offender's ability to save for the future; his likelihood of obtaining a quality job with benefits upon release; and the possibility that some ex-offenders may be ineligible for Social Security in old age due to failure to meet the program's work requirements, either because of cycling in and out of prison or because of the 'negative cv' effect on ex-offenders' prospects for finding employment post-release. Each has important implications for an individual's well-being during old age. The poster also explores potential connections between mass incarceration and the racial wealth gap.

Author

• Ngina Chiteji, New York University