Thursday, December 6, 2012

Post Reading Questions Week Fourteen


The Prison Industrial Complex (PIC) is a term that refers to companies and businesses that supply goods and services to prisons. The PIC is a big growth industry acting somewhat as a “hotel” for inmates, while making money off of them. Many are against the way prisons are profiting from the prisoners, because they are being used for cheap labor. According to the readings, there are four different approaches to challenging the PIC. The first way is to start a movement or group to address the issue of state violence. The second way is to use publicity and legal workshops to show awareness. The third way is to deal with issues of violence within the community. And the fourth way is to abolish the PIC and use school/rehab as an alternative. I believe that the best strategy for the PIC system is to use publicity and legal workshops. In my opinion this is the best way because it brings up awareness to people’s attention on how the prison system is tied to industry and only incarcerating people for non-violent crimes just to make a profit. The worst way would be to try to solve the problems within the community. In my opinion this method would work if it was a small problem, but if it was a bigger issue such as a murder or domestic violence then this method would not work because bigger issues like such should require the police to take action instead of trying to solve it within the community.
After reading the article about California district attorney, Kamala Harris, decision not to participate in Immigration and Customs Enforcement Secure Communities program, I realized that she made the right choice not to participate. She made the right choice in my opinion because ICE is incarcerating more offenders of non-violent crimes then the serious offenders. “After complaints that the program was going after mostly minor offenders, ICE announced in August 2011 that it would refocus on deporting serious criminals. But Harris said Tuesday that the federal agency hasn’t followed through, at least in California.” I feel that even though it is illegal to stay in our country without papers, immigrants that are trying to make something of themselves should still have a chance to petition for a visa. This relates to our readings because Harris is making a statement that she does not support ICE and deporting immigrants of non-violent crimes.

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