Decision-Making in the Criminal Justice System
What is police discretion?
The power police have to decide who to stop, search, or arrest
What are the three stages of mass incarceration?
Roundup, conviction, and invisible punishment
What does the drunk driving vs drug punishment comparison show?
Punishment is not always based on harm
Why do many people return to the same neighborhoods after release?
Lack of resources and support elsewhere
Why do plea deals dominate the system?
Because most people avoid trial due to risk of harsher punishment
What happens during the “roundup” stage?
Targeted policing and arrests in certain communities
What is meant by “punishment depends on who you are”?
Race and class influence how laws are enforced
How do parole and probation rules lead to reincarceration?
Strict rules cause violations that send people back to prison
How do prosecutors influence outcomes?
They control charges and plea deals which shape sentences
How do plea deals affect the conviction stage?
They push people through the system quickly without trial
What is the “fork in the road” idea?
Early decisions determine who enters the system
What is the incarceration cycle?
Prison → release → violations → return to prison
What is a consent search and why is it controversial?
A search someone agrees to but often feels pressured to allow
What is “invisible punishment”?
Long-term consequences after release like losing jobs or housing
How did the War on Drugs contribute to inequality?
It targeted specific communities more heavily
How does incarceration affect families and communities?
It creates instability and long-term harm
Why do decisions at early stages matter so much?
They determine who moves deeper into the system
Why is mass incarceration described as a system not just prisons?
Because it starts before charges and continues after release
Why does police focus matter more than behavior?
Because enforcement patterns shape who gets punished
Why does the cycle increase policing in certain areas?
Instability leads to more surveillance and enforcement