Mass Incarceration and the Prison Industrial Complex Amber Edwards Sco 102 Instructor: Craig Allen 5/3/2020 Mass Incarceration and the Prison Industrial Complex The United States experienced stability in the rates of imprisonment from the year 1920 to early 1970s. However, that has changed over the past four decades considering that the rates of imprisonment have multiplied. Currently, the United Sates has over 2.2 million incarcerated adults which is by far the largest population globally. The rapid increase of incarceration in the US for the past four decades has prompted various critiques including the question as to why there is a large population of incarcerated citizens. The aim of this paper is to argue on the ethical issues existing with the mass incarceration particularly the breaches that occur minus ethics. Also the paper will discuss the constitutes of ethical behaviour within the U.S system by using Utilitarianism, Ethical Egoism, Deontology which will shed light on the concerns of mass incarceration as well as the prison industrial complex. Incarceration is among the most applicable strategies to handle social issues which act as an interference to the poor. Generally, the problems are joined together and defined as crime. The most targeted population in this case are people of color (Wagner & Sawyer, 2018). Some of the impacts of the increased rates of incarceration are homelessness, drug addiction, mental illnesses, unemployment and many more. Generally, prisons do not make the social issues or crimes go away rather, they make people disappear. The practice of making people disappear away from immigrants the poor as well as racially marginalized societies has currently become a business. The increase in the rates of imprisonment is among the most systematic applied government social program in the contemporary world. However, issues such as criminalization, social profiling and mass imprisoning of people of color is the main challenge in the criminal justice system. Another ethical concern is making mass incarceration a source of income or rather a business. Prison privatization is also another ethical concern which is the capital’s contemporary movement in the prison industry. Generally, government run prisons are typically in gross violation particularly in international human rights standards making the private prisons less liable. Incarceration is nothing less than slavery considering that a large number if these inmates offer labor services to a country without a living wage, bargaining power of even labor protections. Generally, labor is the only thing the imprisoners can withhold. The breaches of ethics in slavery, racial profiling and using incarceration for profiting purposes in the prison industry are too much. Among the ethical breach that is reflective is the health in the system. Both mental and physical health of the inmates is a primary concern considering that a large number of the inmates suffer.

1. Mass Incarceration and the Prison Industrial Complex
Amber Edwards
Sco 102
Instructor: Craig Allen
5/3/2020
Mass Incarceration and the Prison Industrial Complex
The United States experienced stability in the rates of
imprisonment from the year 1920 to early 1970s. However, that
has changed over the past four decades considering that the
rates of imprisonment have multiplied. Currently, the United
Sates has over 2.2 million incarcerated adults which is by far
the largest population globally. The rapid increase of
incarceration in the US for the past four decades has prompted

2. various critiques including the question as to why there is a
large population of incarcerated citizens.
The aim of this paper is to argue on the ethical issues existing
with the mass incarceration particularly the breaches that occur
minus ethics. Also the paper will discuss the constitutes of
ethical behaviour within the U.S system by using Utilitarianism,
Ethical Egoism, Deontology which will shed light on the
concerns of mass incarceration as well as the prison industrial
complex.
Incarceration is among the most applicable strategies to handle
social issues which act as an interference to the poor. Generally,
the problems are joined together and defined as crime. The most
targeted population in this case are people of color (Wagner &
Sawyer, 2018). Some of the impacts of the increased rates of
incarceration are homelessness, drug addiction, mental
illnesses, unemployment and many more. Generally, prisons do
not make the social issues or crimes go away rather, they make
people disappear. The practice of making people disappear away
from immigrants the poor as well as racially marginalized
societies has currently become a business.
The increase in the rates of imprisonment is among the most
systematic applied government social program in the
contemporary world. However, issues such as criminalization,
social profiling and mass imprisoning of people of color is the
main challenge in the criminal justice system. Another ethical
concern is making mass incarceration a source of income or
rather a business. Prison privatization is also another ethical
concern which is the capital’s contemporary movement in the
prison industry. Generally, government run prisons are typically
in gross violation particularly in international human rights
standards making the private prisons less liable. Incarceration is
nothing less than slavery considering that a large number if
these inmates offer labor services to a country without a living
wage, bargaining power of even labor protections. Generally,
labor is the only thing the imprisoners can withhold.
The breaches of ethics in slavery, racial profiling and using

3. incarceration for profiting purposes in the prison industry are
too much. Among the ethical breach that is reflective is the
health in the system. Both mental and physical health of the
inmates is a primary concern considering that a large number of
the inmates suffer from chronic diseases, mental illness and
even infectious diseases in comparison to the normal
population. Besides, thousands of inmates released in the
community every yearly have been reported to have an
untreated communicable health condition or even an
undiagnosed health concern. A large percentage of state prisons
do not have a complete and reachable data concerning the health
status of their inmates. The worst part is that, prisoners with
mental illnesses tend to serve longer sentences with more
disciplinary problems as they serve their sentence. Prisons
should therefore have essential mental and medical care that is
required by inmates because they end up suffering more painful
symptoms as their health condition worsens.
The act of America’s prison system applies with the ethical
perspective of Ethical Egoism considering that they are overly
imprisoning their citizens with unsuitable justification that
supports their action. Besides, private capital has been involved
in the punishment industry which is all because of the profit
potential making incarceration which has significantly impacted
the U.S economy. Based on research, WCC increased its
revenue from $138million to $210 million in the year 1997
(Wildeman & Wang, 2017). In comparison to the public
correctional facilities, the increased profits in the private
centres majorly depend on non union labor.
There have been numerous studies on whether the rates of crime
have reduced over the past few decades due to mass
incarceration and based on research, incarceration has resulted
to an increase of crime in most states. Mass incarceration is
unethical in one way or another considering that it causes more
harm on the community than good. According to the
utilitarianism theory, a deed is considered ethical when it
produces more good for a large population of people

4. (Bonnemains, Saurel & Tessier, 2016). Thus, mass incarceration
is against the utilitarianism theory.
America should consider both Deontology and Utilitarianism
ethics since they both provide insight of what is considered
moral or not. Mass incarceration in that case is not an ethical
standard since most people are racial profiled while other have
been sentenced for crimes they did not even commit.
Deontology theory on the other hand states that people are
morally obliged to act in accordance of the set principles
irrespective of the results. Prisoners face numerous health
challenges including facing violence and injuries in prisons.
Crime is just an excuse for the mass incarceration and breaking
ot not practising ethical behaviours in prisons. For this trend to
change, America must change its ethical standards and views
first.
References
Wagner, P., & Sawyer, W. (n.d.). Mass Incarceration: The
Whole Pie 2018. Retrieved from
https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2018.html
Wildeman, C., & Wang, E.A. (2017). Mass incarceration, public
health, and widening inequality in the USA. The Lancet, 389,
1464-1474.
Bonnemains, V., Saurel, C., & Tessier, C. (2016). How Ethical
Frameworks Answer to Ethical Dilemmas: Towards a Formal
Model. [email protected].

5. Mass Incarceration and the Prison Industrial Complex
Amber Edwards
Sco 102
Instructor: Craig Allen
5/3/2020
Mass Incarceration and the Prison Industrial Complex
The United States experienced stability in the rates of
imprisonment from the year 1920 to early 1970s. However, that
has changed over the past four decades considering that the
rates of imprisonment have multiplied. Currently, the United
Sates has over 2.2 million incarcerated adults which is by far
the largest population globally. The rapid increase of
incarceration in the US for the past four decades has prompted
various critiques including the question as to why there is a
large population of incarcerated citizens.

6. The aim of this paper is to argue on the ethical issues existing
with the mass incarceration particularly the breaches that occur
minus ethics. Also the paper will discuss the constitutes of
ethical behaviour within the U.S system by using Utilitarianism,
Ethical Egoism, Deontology which will shed light on the
concerns of mass incarceration as well as the prison industrial
complex.
Incarceration is among the most applicable strategies to handle
social issues which act as an interference to the poor. Generally,
the problems are joined together and defined as crime. The most
targeted population in this case are people of color (Wagner &
Sawyer, 2018). Some of the impacts of the increased rates of
incarceration are homelessness, drug addiction, mental
illnesses, unemployment and many more. Generally, prisons do
not make the social issues or crimes go away rather, they make
people disappear. The practice of making people disappear away
from immigrants the poor as well as racially marginalized
societies has currently become a business.
The increase in the rates of imprisonment is among the most
systematic applied government social program in the
contemporary world. However, issues such as criminalization,
social profiling and mass imprisoning of people of color is the
main challenge in the criminal justice system. Another ethical
concern is making mass incarceration a source of income or
rather a business. Prison privatization is also another ethical
concern which is the capital’s contemporary movement in the
prison industry. Generally, government run prisons are typically
in gross violation particularly in international human rights
standards making the private prisons less liable. Incarceration is
nothing less than slavery considering that a large number if
these inmates offer labor services to a country without a living
wage, bargaining power of even labor protections. Generally,
labor is the only thing the imprisoners can withhold.
The breaches of ethics in slavery, racial profiling and using
incarceration for profiting purposes in the prison industry are
too much. Among the ethical breach that is reflective is the

7. health in the system. Both mental and physical health of the
inmates is a primary concern considering that a large number of
the inmates suffer from chronic diseases, mental illness and
even infectious diseases in comparison to the normal
population. Besides, thousands of inmates released in the
community every yearly have been reported to have an
untreated communicable health condition or even an
undiagnosed health concern. A large percentage of state prisons
do not have a complete and reachable data concerning the health
status of their inmates. The worst part is that, prisoners with
mental illnesses tend to serve longer sentences with more
disciplinary problems as they serve their sentence. Prisons
should therefore have essential mental and medical care that is
required by inmates because they end up suffering more painful
symptoms as their health condition worsens.
The act of America’s prison system applies with the ethical
perspective of Ethical Egoism considering that they are overly
imprisoning their citizens with unsuitable justification that
supports their action. Besides, private capital has been involved
in the punishment industry which is all because of the profit
potential making incarceration which has significantly impacted
the U.S economy. Based on research, WCC increased its
revenue from $138million to $210 million in the year 1997
(Wildeman & Wang, 2017). In comparison to the public
correctional facilities, the increased profits in the private
centres majorly depend on non union labor.
There have been numerous studies on whether the rates of crime
have reduced over the past few decades due to mass
incarceration and based on research, incarceration has resulted
to an increase of crime in most states. Mass incarceration is
unethical in one way or another considering that it causes more
harm on the community than good. According to the
utilitarianism theory, a deed is considered ethical when it
produces more good for a large population of people
(Bonnemains, Saurel & Tessier, 2016). Thus, mass incarceration
is against the utilitarianism theory.

8. America should consider both Deontology and Utilitarianism
ethics since they both provide insight of what is considered
moral or not. Mass incarceration in that case is not an ethical
standard since most people are racial profiled while other have
been sentenced for crimes they did not even commit.
Deontology theory on the other hand states that people are
morally obliged to act in accordance of the set principles
irrespective of the results. Prisoners face numerous health
challenges including facing violence and injuries in prisons.
Crime is just an excuse for the mass incarceration and breaking
ot not practising ethical behaviours in prisons. For this trend to
change, America must change its ethical standards and views
first.
References
Wagner, P., & Sawyer, W. (n.d.). Mass Incarceration: The
Whole Pie 2018. Retrieved from
https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2018.html
Wildeman, C., & Wang, E.A. (2017). Mass incarceration, public
health, and widening inequality in the USA. The Lancet, 389,
1464-1474.
Bonnemains, V., Saurel, C., & Tessier, C. (2016). How Ethical
Frameworks Answer to Ethical Dilemmas: Towards a Formal
Model. [email protected].