What changed during the Reagan Administration to cause such an increase in incarcerations?

[Sub Atomic]

I'm old enough so that I should know, but I cannot recall exactly what that asshat Reagan did to increase the incarceration rate so much.

Anyone know?

[LaurenG]

1. Mental Health institutions were closed. Heres a DU link discussion on it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1163771

[tekisui]

2. War on drugs, prison for profit, education cuts. In a word,

Reagan happened.

[Tempest]

12. Cutting funding for mental health facilities

A lot of violent mentally ill people were put on the street thanks to Raygun.

[valerief]

18. I think that was the big one. All the state hospitals closing down. nt

[Lone_Star_Dem]

20. That is one of the worst legacies of his administration

Considering some of the horrific things that occurred during his 8-year run, that's saying a lot.

[redqueen]

21. I agree...

both the war on drugs and the prison industrial complex need to end.

[leftchick]

3. the war on drugs

which is an abject failure yet very lucrative for CIA covert operations like say, Iran Contra?

[ThomWV]

4. Could it be that enough people didn't say No?

It was the beginning of a constant federal war on the poor and the best way to beat them was to round them up and lock them away.

[L0oniX]

5. The Wicked Witch's "just say no" propaganda.

[54anickel]

6. Combination of War on drugs with mandatory sentencing. Reagan's legacy and gift to

the private, for profit prison lobbyists.

Edit to add http://www.mediastudy.com/articles/incarceration.html

[Fumesucker]

7. That graph is not very good..

Look at this one and you'll see the catastrophic rise started under Nixon really.



The DEA was a Nixon invention.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. DRUGS!!

[KansDem]

9. Demonization of anyone who wasn't affluent...

Backlash of Nixon's "Silent Majority" toward anyone who didn't embrace the "3 Gs" (Gods, Guns, anti-Gays).

Alienation of those Americans who felt threatened by civil rights movement of the 1950s-70s and women's movement of 1960s-70s.

Didn't "zero tolerance" appear during this time? (Nancy's "Just Say No" campaign).

[Laelth]

10. Mandatory minimum sentences.

Mostly for drug crimes. This was Sandra Day O'Connor's baby, and she got a majority on the Court to agree with her. It was a terrible mistake, just like her voting with the majority in Bush v. Gore. At least she admits she made a mistake in the latter vote. She still thinks mandatory minimum sentences are a good idea.

:dem:

-Laelth

[JFN1]

11. Privitization happened

prisons became a for profit industry...

[Skidmore]

13. Deinstitutionalization and breaking down the mental health care

system. How many people in those prisons really need treatment for mental health problems. Count chronic substance abusers in that population as well.

[Winterblues]

14. Most mental hospitals were closed for one thing and people were put onto the street.

It was also the Republican way of life.. Crime Pays...The S&L scandals happened and people felt if you could steal billion and get away with it you could steal anything.

[tabbycat31]

15. the war on drugs?

I'm not old enough to remember the Reagan administration either.

[eShirl]

16. That's when the wingnuts took over the country.

nuff said

[spanone]

17. contributing factor...Mandatory Minimum Sentences

http://www.drugpolicy.org/drugwar/mandatorymin/

[malaise]

19. Private prisons

so the Reaganites could get rich by incarcerating black men. A nice new version of slavery.

[Optical.Catalyst]

22. Has anyone brough up the war on drugs yet?

:shrug:

[Kahuna]

23. Crack cocaine. nt