The Local Context of Racial Inequalities in Mass (De)carceration

• In Event: How Law, Politics, and Economy Shaped Mass Incarceration

Abstract

Although racialized mass incarceration remains high in the United States, the mid-2000s started a national turning point of decarceration. While the growth of incarceration has been studied in the context of the shrinking welfare state, factors associated with more recent decarceration have been relatively unexplored. We examine the temporal and place-based context of racial inequality of incarceration and decarceration in jails from 2007-2017. Specifically, we focus on several challenges associated with decarceration. First, recent work highlights localized punishment practices/policies, so we examine variation between county jurisdictions. Secondly, we examine the relative emphasis on punishment and welfare through spending patterns, as well as prior capacity in incarceration, and how these may explain decarceration. We use data from the United States Bureau of Justice Statistics, Government Finance and Employment, and the American Community Survey to explain local jail incarceration patterns, as well as racial inequalities in incarceration and decarceration. Our findings suggest that local spending and punishment practices diverge considerably from each other, and expenditures and jail capacity have implications for incarceration/decarceration.

Authors

• Marisa Omori, University of Missouri-St. Louis

• Faraneh Shamserad, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

• Adam Boessen, University of Missouri-St. Louis