2 Angels ¥ Das ights he had ‘cause her writin sues of race} easily dismissed leologcal equa: withthe remova Somereative pr solving the probe sce Binds sate an attempt tim, race cose moving tomvand foo many toy, and the ight th aves, wha seek t ‘wn purposes Tot must be ones While Clinton afl history and 21 RACE AND CRIMINALIZATION Black Americans and the Punishment Industry Ange ¥ Dats Questions to Consider Angela Dacisfnks the grotto the prison system to the “war on drugs ‘alt sttutal rcs, Ho race ana csr ge ints her ali of te gets terete ir Americas "soar rugs”? Hw might rial ster ‘yes an de age pts generated by He rsa ster shape te ay ‘eich esto 8 ent corporate ost ana lawmakers? nthiepou-ciighsera eral tar ousgd ver sharply andopent onset siete reapprently shattered wih predictable unfold in the absence of any dite acknow!- Tees power relationships. Because race is ost Race, he insisted Fegulanity, race itself hecomes an incteas= ingly proseeibed subject In tke dominant prltical discourse its no longer acknow = ‘ged as. pervasive structunal phenome. non reiting the continuation of auch polakol debates hs ped, the ce att Sinegisovafimatwacionbutraterts tadcharacer becomes ett ia wih eet represented primarily sa complex of peu 10 identify. especially by those who are ‘ways the national pop Sica tits, which carry egual weight unable—or do not want—to decipher the stalionf race omen Scualooutindnetctiaieky etn Titania a Reenter ‘Sthusultensiscreitadand he entes. racist arguments can be oblized fad the deep sistant tion of ace sea public, politcal issueitself heros eacaltwuncaries and politica align temporary cue of, and application of the epithet "black oconservative bers ad sometimes ve iene uctur {ed asa contingenes the “culture of po Mion Stan Marc, convened by Minit pron sputre ot poe Anglais “Rac gn Crnsiation: the Luis Farrakhan of the Nation of sla Siinatigs Thee | Frunihent UntsteyCapng 17 by 3 callfora national conversation Mii. The high ‘Angel Dern kp ee at : soa People inthe crim Lae aac a iaT nine ‘errr ional the sat romain 1 Lan Guinier (when nomination fener pubic Utbiane. Used pomicsn Pani oes 2 vtec oe ne “rsistant tare genera in charge of cil frond ‘ sani th {debates about the role of the sat that onceae ond Criminlaation 245 cece mn eeeee ion be thu apaian and Dec ied Sacer gamnlshirI on Sitahseense cee ee Snivetonecsaney tm had ben hands ie ea lors easly ismissed because of the pw ins “criminals without having tn anste fee sneha atm theater coment pin lusmstorae Ising un tage tee Be ‘Sowswe Hea angen shir ack pu ae Shiga oY ital ral eae a cdl eeaee ishing lta, expla aa eee ma the Sitntanatiompt nant pe nd sell prance He ing ace conseermermete et es banged eins ache in mmimwovand eee meats of Son mt athe eam owe toward race blindness “There are shle Radamaclee Saitaghon em ceek tet” “China ths se of he wasqurades anitherghton the tet comnersandradht behind eine With alls menacing i Tare nly ko sw divin for thee toga ie mobilizes od public 4 Ratbecness MSY Nemo. Ie Garsund na per ae Hee BoE i must eon” time debate takes place within a reed cts am aekebsge “the athematal watson eed strom ha ene sabbera eshience GT Malthus nton af eee ‘of rocsm.” his nmaeks longue thee { {ease population ana te artnet ie [ed on icra ere” that “are crease nfo sues nee ‘y Fisted in the act that we stil havent acae ee the means of suppressing ie flamed to lk trankly, to stem carly. wee ae snd natural disasters J RLS work wget acs acl ines” Ra's mance amine an Dersisting neo. [ Exiinsited not atoutgoiemment, olism sp ie Population conte, f Matabeuttheheansof people Ofvourer wien mn aeP of seeking to save those i f Tui absurd de the dees to pene an se that result in real | TR acim infects inceepandmattple fumarase pope's ves cas for | yethemtonatpiche inverter fama neo suring Hives J Eepelectomesoctchemtente fmseanne eye Moses Public discus F thedeep sence am acottnkentay im abou expanse era the deep structural entrenchment of eon rime: These ue temporary ra When the sructra charter ot sacm tons nclade arguments leploved by those hw ar lenin thecal i for mere prisonsanlemplor stir tne E galt im diacussions about came and cone tebe Inisleading way as © ePSingpopultinnorincaneratedpepte, Su ‘than two centuries age trail .mbslance in jis patos takehreceart Wooten ctumments leat sc wimgeney at Bet st dt ofthe “culture ol povvrs Proof of sn aectned Hack Inthe HiriagTiuadaton se Baymont t Imenepaly on abe 38% af the ANNAN caren state | stiminaliy" ie ny ctblach nd teal primes eho ei Pepe inthe criminal pnt ctsteme tha Henerssstve sujet peste sate for the tndrcontece and meaner ies SU ound lk vat and eae ind ming th Neeiemweaningi hit acsearle246 Angela ¥ Dov while on the street, then te number of Himes prevent each ear hy tat SEitencing wok! be 000500. That Stould We over of the 60010 tent crimes reports In Reafer's Digest Senor Faier Eugene HL Methwin sites If we again double the preset federal nd stte prison popultiont0 some ‘Mere betwen tri aed 1-5 i Tom and Fenve orc al ounty jail fpoputation a he present A000, Aha break the back of America's 30 year The eal human beings— vay dispropor. Honate, number of sehom art black and Toino/a men and women —designoted by there numbers in seemingly race-neutral Wop are deemed fetshistcally changeable Uhh he crimes the have o mill allegedly omenit The eal impact of inpeisenment ‘in thele ives never need be examine. The evitable part payed by the punishment inuustry in the reproduction ef rime never toed be discussed. The anges and in ‘eed fascist trond toward rogeesively treater pumbers of huden, incarcerated amor populations itsel rendered sist fhe All that matters nthe elimination of ine-—ana you get Hd of cine by Retin fi of people wis, accordingo the preva ing rail common sense ane de most ikely pple foot criminal acts wil be ati {red Never ming that i His strategy 18 Seriously and consistently pursue he ma jonty of young Slack womenspend a ood portion a het ives behind walls an bors ronder to serve ava remind tht the sate iSapgresively confronting tener While donot want to nate a response tothese arguments onthe smeevel of th fmatical abstraction and feisty T have evn problmatizing is hei think eartder ow many pepe pecsent inwsrceratd oe who ves aesubjct tothe UTrect sureilance of the cranial justice System, Thene are alteady approsimately Tmlion peuple in state and federal prisons Tevthe United States, not counting. the Simi000 in sity and county jails or the fu. on parle oe the 3 lion people on probation or the 00 young people in je nile foclities Which isto say that there “re presently over 31 zllion people ether incarcerated, on parole, oF on probation. Sy of those preset on probation or pas Zhe would be Pebind Bars under the coed tions of the revently passed ime Pil [Acconing tothe Sentencing Proc, even ibtone the passage ofthe crime bill black fouple were 7 times more Dkely 10 be Fnprisoned than sehites. The Sentencing Project's most recent report indicates that S22 percent young back men and 12. per ent yung Latino men Between the ages Gtwenty and twenty-nine are either in prison I jail or on probation or parole, This sin comparison with 67 percent of ‘Young white men. A total of 827-40 young, incon American males are under the Mipervsiom of the criminal justice system, St cost of $6 billion per year. A major “eength of the EMS report, as compared to its predecessor. is its acknowledgment that the rots spat oF the vial justice System sas gencleved ard thatthe eae ely smaller umber of Afeican- American tomer rawa in he system shold not Itieve us ofthe responsiblity of under araing the encounter of gender and race in arent and insazcerabon practices. More fover the inteases women contac Wi the criminal astice system have been even twee han those of med The 78's ncnease neil justice iol rats for block oer 8 toe than sou the sere fo ao Uhr ad fr ie ome ane more than ie inns the metas for white men... Al ‘color int limited ext seat that anitsex te trent whi! ‘sample, st find Flispani an alarming and 1982 increased 27 men Unlike coor ths sre experens roth iat al justice sy It has been « 2000 the numer Surpass lion atenumber of w nd thatthe cost ear? igure ths the military bude tastodevour—tt utotcontrl pu tremely etfective forthe racial iy lations is not “ructral racism consequence of black poopie. In leation process ‘aUse of the hide logic fs deeply ‘material and psy thing with whieh The logic infact + rectallusions ts Even those ce Spy injured b leaened how to 1 when open atlas sary Thus in the stansroote move‘mem Although esac on wom ‘of colori thecrminal sie spot limite, existing ets aind research coe {HOU UhIT tis the cominaton of te and sex efits that atthe ru ofthe trends whieh appear imu data For ‘sample, while the mumarof blake and Hispanics in prison sowing anlarming rte the rate increase oe ‘women is even greater Beween ISN) and 1992 the female prior population Increased 276 compared hs for ren. Unlike men ofcoor, women of olor thus Belang ovo gop that are experiencing pariculaedrsmatic ‘scot in ther contact sity the ene al justice system, Ie has been estimated that bythe year 2N0 the pumber of people imprisoned il Spas 4 million, «grossly speoportion- steumber of who YOR” figure thats reminiscert of the way the mitary budget devoaretond comin testo devour—the country» reonneee This ‘out-of contal punishment indusey an tremely efiective criminalization inti, forthe racial imbalance in incanerted pee lations isnot recogmized oy evidence oF tectral racism, but eather is vod consequence othe assumed riminaity of back people. Inather worl te criminal tzation process works wo wll preinely be ‘cause of the hidden logic ram Reet logic is deeply entronchst in the nation's Imaterial and psschic structures It iesome thing with which we are all we fam The lagi. in fat can pest. Lleeply injured by this rast bt Heamed hw to rely upon We pattculrle hen open allusions trace ne mat ese sav. Thus inthe abvence nt Brod deal [rasctonts mowements in pny Hck sony ce and Cinna ar unites so devastated by new fot of outh-perpetuated solenc. the hol ‘options are extremely sparse Olten there ate no other ways toraphessculletive mise and despair but to desnand that police seep the community clean of crack and zis at ofthe ponte who use and sel drugs and wicld Weapons rancaly Cal “Moneley-Braun, the ist black woman see tor in our nation’s history, was an enti astte sponsor ofthe Senate Antcrime Bill, \whose passage in Noverter 1993 paved the va for the August 25,1994, pany ofthe bill by the Howse. Or perhape there ite inony hee. may be precy beau there $a Carol Mseley-Braun inthe Senate od Clarence Thomas in the Supreme Count and concomitant cles diferentiations aad ‘ther factors responsible fr far more het rogencty in bck communities than ay ‘ther time inthis county's history—that impli consent to amtilack rai ogi tot {© speak of racism foward other groep) es ‘comes far more widespread among black people, Wahneema Labiano’s explorations ‘tthe complesties of tate domains ‘operates within and thevugh the subject ties of those who ae the Lange hs dont ination facitates an understanding ofthis shlemina Borrowing the tide of Coenel Wests re- work, rice matin. Moreover it mot ters in ways that ate far more threaten, and simaltancously les discermible thay thane to which we have pron secustomed Race matters infor, mre than ever the ileologial and mate structures of Us swcety: And, asthe current discousnes on ime, wellare, ond immigration veal, ace, gener ara cose matter enarmonaly in the contining elaboration w pul pl icv amd its impact cin the real lives Thoma beings rd hon ws ace matter? Fear asa wavs ten an intogealsumponent at Flay repre tea ot Ba28 Angela Y Dare te, whether economically sll teste ap yoo tting ward Keng grounded infer cme, TSetetierised i thiceomter! is whether 8D ow i nerensing forces Uigguatty product fear rime SER render savin simultaneously shove inisible and more virulent. Peshaps sway toappromtrananswet this ue ents toconses how the eso crime {tively summons back people to imagine ‘ick people etter How many lack pe present at hisconferee have sc FE extted ourselves rm the Meo fogical power of he fore afte Young ‘Meck mle as crimiraeor at kas serous Coniromted i Teck pian lack freence the rather fecle apposition to Thevinwe strikes you're util which have teen propos n/a used in foty nates steady evidences he disor Feet ths deo California sone ofthe sates that has posed the "these Tressel after the possi that bil Governor Pete Wilson bopanto age 9 Stoo ste you re out” bill Toe: es {sto mong, Soom we lta calls or one Shrte you're Follong his mathe tmaleal reson, we sam ine that ‘Ome pot the hardcore anstime adso- Cae wl beaging that stp te time Shave we cant wat url evn oer Sint, Meirson willbe ext them Before the fiscal ecu cerain populatons have sleady fee criminal atthe ile thone who wy We hn tv the real crminale are-kt's get them Fetore they have chance tact out thee ional “The ea of sri has atuined 9 states that bears sinister smarty tothe feat of SSrmononirn astm To retrctre sl Perceptions during the Hibs and sities The igure ot he rama th risa {igor of thecal hs coon to pe ent the amogt menacing enemy’ of “Ameri= San society” Virualy angting ts accept. She—torture, brut. vast expenditures of Doble funds-—as long asi is done in the shame of public safety. Racism has aways Turd amesay route fom is embeddedness inset stratum to The pays of calle: tives and individuals precisely because Inobilizes deep fears. While expiet ol Sfgle raciem may be spereasingly socially tunacceptable--precsely as a result o a= Tacit anovements over the last forty Sears-thisdes nol mean that US. society fs been purges of racism. Infact, racism ove deeply embecifed in socioeconomic Structures, an the vast populations of ine Cateerated pepe of colts deamaticevi- ence of the tay acim systematically Structures economic relations. Atte same time ths structural aes is rrely ecg hive as “racist,” What we have come to recognize as open, explicit racism has in any ays begun to he replaced By a se ‘ded, camoutaged kindof racism, whose intuence on people's daily ives sas pervae sive systematic as the explicit forms of fetom associated ith the era ofthe stage ‘sletor civil rights “The ksological space forthe protiferae tions of thisractalzed fer of eime hasbeen ‘hpenea bythe transformations i interna "inna politics crested By the fll ofthe Eu- ope saialist countries Communism fo langee the quintessential enemy against {hich the nation imagines sts ei. Tis Space ism inhabited by ideological cone SIrustons of ee, drags immigration. and twellge OF course the enemy within is fat Inove dangerous than the enerny without, Sala lack enemy eithin the most dane ‘eros ofl. eva ofthe tendency to ew its an ibtract site into sebih al manner of unde “tables are pent, the peso is the per Feet aie for the simeltaneous production tal concelanent st acim The abstract sara o th rmiitates asa realises tt ‘shich pes portionate mi (work that the bel the resp ing vith the p teansnatin OF Black peo ewe ha the connect thom of capital The wos alist corporat teolorand po sccompanied b conta age GATT, corpo sap in tet facturing opes cheap labor po Inthe US to dd tenet, th inshambles, ce people bin the drug trade base of these cs the education = turing the ps Atthesame tm demand fr pr canomy, provi industry tor pe the very pupal by this process "producing eve Tonia pr Inga unseat“fae eet ot roe fea issu acting the som mates ey which prisoners are drawn in such disp Fortionate numbers. Thi the Adewloes ‘work tha the prisun pertarms—it elt Uisof the rsporblty of sens emg ing with the pesblemsol ate capitation ot Transnational apitais, The satualzation ‘ot blak peoples crinnnals thos ao crete ‘ological bariers to am understating the camnections betwee htetwentet ‘tury stusturl acm athe gate tun of wap The vast espansionof the nner of caps itatist corporations over the nes prope ‘of coloranl poor people in goreal hase accompanied by a waning aapitait cone Seiousness. As capital moves with ane sctoss national balers legitimized be ent tae agreements ach as NAFTA and GATT, corporations age allowed to close shop inthe Usted sates and wane mane ‘lecturing operations to natins providing ‘heap labor pools, Inlesiy ongantre tao inthe US. to avoid paving higher wages snd benefits they lve nie snmmunitics in shambles, consigning huge numbers of [eople to jolessnens, having dem prey the drug trade, destroying the eetmomie fuse ofthese communities thas alerting theestucation system, social welant cana turning the poople wh Le in those com ‘munities into pete canis for prism AM the same ne, they reeate an scone Aleman for prisons, which sti maates the econo, providing jb nthe Soret industry for penple who sien come fim the very populations thet are c-iminira by this process. isa huey aml se reproducing cycle Troma; prisons thes ge ba Inga seutee ot etwapi that racer Potate capitalism vet ons tla smalseaie—inasnay that palletes tion unganived at wf Hid oe etn Race and Criminaicaton 249 Ines exerts, A statement by Michel Lamar Powell prisoner in Capshats, Alabamny Aramatialyseceas this tow development ‘cannot goon trie, noe cant union- vee Lam pot cowrnl by woken cm pensation the Fai Standards Act signe to werk Latenightand weekend tits lost oat Lm ol oat fer what itis Tam hed and fia at ‘sil ard Tam not even pad minim ‘sae: earn ane dollars month | Plants exept at the ik of incur, “inbitrary desipline or some covert ‘etalon. “Youre not worry about NAFTA sand your obs going to Mico and ‘ther Third Word countries T wil have atleast five percent of your bs by the end of this decal "om called piso labor. am The New American Worker" This “new American worker" will be draws trom the ranks of racilized population ‘shove historical superexploitalion trom the env of slavery tothe present has fn Iiized by racism. Atte some ime. the i espansion of convict labors accumpanied i Jinsome states by the old paraphernalia of she chains that shrablically links convict lator withshve ar east thee sete ‘Mabama, Horida ant Aricona have te instituted the chain gang. Moveower, as Michael Powell 0 inctasively reveals there Isa mew dimension the rvs inherent this process which ststurally Hinks the superexplotation of prison labor to the lobalication otcxptall InCalitoni,weho prison system isthe lunges inthecauntey ae one of the eget inthe worl the pasa anata ita Uhetin Het haspreentabumanees ching 1p Lalor ei appurtunatos uncon Sanat those Hl or onto Ns280 Angele ¥. Devs of June 1994, 2 range of compa fmploving prison labor is nie C prisons, Under theaepicesothe Joint Ven- Fore Program, work now being performed tin prison ground eludes computerized Telephone mescaging. femal apparatus {esembisi computer dataentry plastic pats Fabrication, electronic component man facturing theCental Califia Women’s facility at Chowchilla, security glass man facturing, swine production, oak furniture manuitacturng, andthe proiition of ea Irsasteetanksanndequipment natalia Corrections Department orocouge designed topromotethe program tisdescibed san Jnnovative public private partnership that iakes good businesssense”! According to the owner Tosser Communiations who the brochure quot, ‘The operation is ost etlectve, depend: ableand trouble re... wer Cont Iumications has sucessully operated 2 message conter uci inmates on the grounds of Calton state prison ltyou'rea business leader planning ‘espansion, considering sean because ofa deficient labor poo, Starting a ne enterprise, ok nts the Benes of wing nme labor, The employer benefits listed by: the bro- shure include federal and state ty incentives; no ben wit package (Felizment ps vacation pay. sik leave, medical eis) long Term lease ageemente a ir bvlow market value costs disco ales on Workers Compensation: build consis tent qualified ork fore call labor pool (na car breakdowns, na tabyi ting problems}: option vt Hing ob ready eetfendens aa nhimising cont: becoming partner public stew There ia maj, yet invisible, racial up po stom in such cats about the profitably SF a comvit labor force The acceptability OF the superexplotation of convict labor lange based on the historical conjunctare fof raism and incarceration practices Theale read disproportionately black sonic labor force will become increasing black fhe rally imbalanced incasceration practices The complicated yet unacknowledgedt Structural presence of racism in the US. punishment industry ala includes the fact that the punishment industry which se |questers ever larger sectors of the black population attract vast amounts of capital Ideological, as Phave argued, the racal= ized fear of crime has hegun to sucesed the fear of communisin. This coresponds toa structural tendency for capita that previ ‘ously lowed toward the military industry to naw move toward the punishment indus trys The ease with sshich suggestions are made for prisoa constriction costing in the ‘ulti of dollars ceminacent ofthe rnilitary buildup: eeonome mobilization £0 Affeat communiam has turned int eco. hhomic mobilization t0 detent crime The ideological construction of cee fs thus complemented and bolstered by the mater Tal construction of jails and prisons, The more alls ad prisons are constructed, the ixeater the fear of crime, and the greater the tear of crime, the stronger the ery fot move jlsand prisons ad atin. ‘he law entorcement industry bears re rmarkable parallel tothe military industry (ust as there ate antsCommanist exo” runces in the antvcrime campaige) Ts onnection between the military industry and the punishment industry is vealed i {vit Set url atc ei“ Making {Cri Fae the Coll Bar thes" 1 othe dotense establishment re ‘ashing int, enti ayia nee Hine a taey cath Corp. M Techerst pushing havecres thei dete According to sored bythe research arm ‘ngariced toy ment Technol secretary ule at this eontene like “he sae» lr for dual Hottopes oy hic ce neath Nisonat periment binding ane treated ‘sworking freon or spied br ete el Fromotng Set big nat deortment ingot prison changes Again race prove the technological ent which in ta and incarceration ing punishment silently bat poneae Rucand Cebinatiction 259 tic usines ts help tft mile sstence of rvs, crates an ecw de Eeiauttacks Westngboure Eletric mand tor mowejllsan prices eel angelina Miingand Manatac- sim pratingcrimisaionon tae FamnECH-GDESrstensiadisionot whch in ante tee eae the okt General Dynan sind Aloe Mont estos addnessng the eis re Fechoystems ne, hr nse te salting trom overcrowding in prison ad paging crmestghting suipment and aikincucin mats manners Sree terial setaldiions ota uments and ll ee sree tm tle for Ameria's comm are prnportonatl patentee strats aneven mone ostusing rate thn mens ae gel an absent ctor sn the daca cred oe atthe aconfennece some Sine crime and ponte a SEAM National tie of Juste the seeme net even tomer oe ea ingame month tie Dgarinent wim by ii aban Htorelhewe ee seared the theme “Law Enlorce- niet of amen hes eed tne ae i‘ rere ra he 2skCentur." The tromen ina nae thar epee as | Si eaten was a jor presenter thintsthe ca with men The tae | ihecanesmmcrnee. which explured topics alization praceshc ld ea | Ubea real te sense indus parc: the markingol retainer ee i lll for dual use aa comers Undomeaticated and hypersemual acwomn who refuse fo embrace the male any oe Sar ERTIS deferseindoary thnk paradigms The cutent Ibeel eee t (eethateould lower the kv of soe sense avund chan ineer ee | Nenagh ner fghting Sandia Single mothers who ane npn tee ae j Katinal Laboratori ovine, scent manless drugwsing hee ee | Saeesmenting with acese oom that dren. and as repreducers of ae nate sige erawed a suspects temporary cultre wf powery Tie onan oe Pre deafeningthem under drugs isceiminae Bore aubghlebubbles stings Corporation Snug scr and beau e ooeeee ee Fieaggnion “smart gun.” which will Shesanmotia gon otis Iona Sey forthe went and etactable pregnant women ae ine ye Sra carie rim to untutin front ting crack because oF Peele oe of fleing vehi Westinghouse thelce promoting the "sinacteaninehich Acconing Wo the LS. Departament of | TaweamPatescould betnked up Justice wet ane ar ne ae with Big mantras the pl tw be imprisoned toe adios cantiction sparen allowing far seo ks acevo nomen wah eee ‘igo prisoners, swell pak ment ur ther drug prablene often tty | ‘exchanges of information ‘on wption i thee cannot pay tor dog Program, ta atrested am sented te reign amet nt jutivation for Suey pagan vintners mmonnieialeapanvion saw ene tan tet mian CS Sree te j rr hn nies rast ard [Reread athe mean ea MM incarecration pravtices Ihskynwhete Wrenn Sunetiment indus hse arith rage the Clinton ane eee282 Angela ¥. Deve Decriminalization of drugs would greatly reduce the number of incnerated Women, for he 278 percent increase inthe sumbers of black women in state anc federal prisons {@s compared tothe 186 percent increase In the numbers of black ae) can be langely attibuted tothe phenomenal rise in drug- elated and specifically crackrelated im- prisonment, According tothe Sentencing Drojects 199 report the increase amounted 10828 percent" ‘Official refusals to even consider de- criminalization of drugs asa possible strat cy that might begin to “everse present Incarceration pracices further bolsters the ideological staying power o the prison. In his well-known study ofthe history ofthe prison and is rlate techrologies of disci line, Michel Foucault pointed out that contradiction is athe very heat of the historical project of imprisonment. For a century and aha the prison has always boen offeedas is owe remedy: the alization of the ‘corrective project as the aly method ‘of overcoming the impossibly of Implementing i ‘As Ihave attempted to argue, within the US historical conten, racism plays pivotal role in sustaining this contradiction. fact, Foucault's theory regarding the prisons te dency to serve sits own enduring jusiics tion becomes even more compelling i the role of ret also acknowledged. Morea, ‘moving beyond the paransters of what | consider the double impasse implied by his theory--the discursive impasce his theory lecovers and that ofthe theory itselt—1 want to conclude by suggesting the poss Dlty of radial race-concios strategies de- signed to disrupt the stanglehold of ‘riminalization and inareration practices Inthe course of secant collaborative r= search project with UC. Santa Barbara soc- logis Kam-Kurn Bhavani ia which we Interviewed thirty-five women 3 the Sa Francis County Jal the complex ways in which race and gender help to produce 2 Punishment industry that feproduces the ‘ery problems it purports to solve Become Aramatically apparent, Our interviews fo: ‘cused on the womens ideas about empes fonment and how they themseves imagine lternatives to incarceration, Their various friiques ofthe prison system and ofthe ex: Isting “alternatives” ll of which are ted to reimprisonment a. ast resort leds 0 re- flect more deeply about the importance of fetreving retheorizing, and veactvating the ‘adical abolitionist strategy frst proposed ‘connection with the pezon-reforn move- sents ofthe sities and seventies "sare presenily attempting to theorize women’s imprisonment in ay tha allow {Us to formulate a radical abolitionist stat- fey departing from, but not restricted init ‘Conclusions to, women's als and prisons. ‘Our goals to formallat alternatives to sn fatceration that substantively relect the Voices and agency of a variety of imprise foned women, We wish to open up channels {or their involvement in the current debates around altematives to incarceration, while ‘hot denying our own role as mediators nd Interpreters and our own political postion- ingin these debates, We ako want to distin {quis our exploration of alternatives from the spate of "alternative punishment” oF what are nove called "intermediate sane- tions” presently being proposed and/or im plemented by and through state and local ‘Somrectional systems, “This is 2 long-range project that has thee dimensions: academe esearch, publ policy, and community organizing nother word, for this project to be successful, it must build legislative and graser Fle, forthe Prostitution Sent polit Ratsing and prisons malized ms lems in an uunemployir lapsing put education, « the cureent inluences «| century “abe century re Instore ee of Smprison: Thirteenth» {shed for alle the exclusion Dy the slave US. prisons prisoners to lion people a cause of the ‘radical str fons asthe no social proble strategy fra fotorcea ett pressive le Iatecapitalist