Behind Bars in the Land of the Free

The United States imprisons a greater portion of its population than any other country on earth. And, as it happens, American incarceration policies fall disproportionately heavily on disadvantaged black men, raising questions about the equitability of the criminal justice system. Is the U.S. criminal justice system a quiet extension of America’s shameful history of racial discrimination and persecution? However, if members of some groups commit more crimes than those of other groups, perhaps it should not be surprising that a greater portion of them are in jail. Moreoever, if those in jail are indeed guilty of crimes, might not world-leading incarceration rates simply be what it takes to keep Americans safe? We’ll ask these tough question and more in this month’s issue of Cato Unbound, “Behind Bars in the Land of the Free.”

We’ve gathered together an all-star team of scholars to grappple with this fraught but profoundly important issue. Brown University’s Glenn Loury, author of the recent book Race, Incarceration, and American Values, offers this month’s lead essay. We’ll have replies from the University of Maryland economist John R. Lott, Harvard University sociologist Bruce Western, and eminent political scientist James Q. Wilson the Ronald Reagan Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University.

As always, Cato Unbound readers are encouraged to take up our themes, and enter into the conversation on their own websites, blogs, and even in good old-fashioned bound publications. Trackbacks are enabled. Cato Unbound will scour the web for the best commentary on our monthly topic, and, with permission, publish it alongside our invited contributors. We also welcome your letters. (Send them to jkuznicki at cato.org.)