Explanation
Mass incarceration describes the exceptionally high rates of imprisonment, especially in countries like the United States. It is not only a response to crime but also a social policy that disproportionately targets marginalized groups. Sociologists and criminologists link mass incarceration to structural issues such as poverty, racial discrimination, and shifts in economic policy, highlighting its role in controlling surplus labor and maintaining social order.
Theoretical Reference
Critical Criminology, Loïc Wacquant’s Punishing the Poor