“The Ripple Effect of Mass Incarceration: Economic & Social Consequences for Families & Communities”

Author: Feliciti Crowder

Department: UIC Institute for Policy & Civic Engagement

Advisor: Dr. Joseph K. Hoereth, IPCE / Karlie Sanchez, Graduate Assistant, IPCE

Abstract: Mass incarceration disproportionately affects low-income communities, destabilizing families and reinforcing cycles of poverty. High incarceration rates within marginalized communities contribute to economic decline and reduced community investment. Former research has shown that formerly incarcerated individuals face an unemployment rate of 27%, higher than the overall U.S. unemployment rate during the Great Depression. This study examines the systemic policies that drive these disparities, including the over-policing of Black and Brown neighborhoods, barriers to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals, limited access to education access, and economic opportunities. Through the review of policy literature and socio-economic data, this research highlights the need for structural and policy reforms in criminal justice. Findings reveal that parental incarceration increases childhood poverty, while Black and Latina women bear the financial and emotional burdens of supporting incarcerated loved ones. Additionally, mass incarceration reduces local investment, deepens economic disparities, and restricts housing and employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals. This study recommends policy reforms, including ending cash bail, expanding expungement access, eliminating mandatory minimum sentences, and investing in reentry and restorative justice programs to address these inequities and break the cycle of incarceration and poverty.

Keywords: Mass incarceration, poverty, racial disparities, economic inequality, criminal
justice reform

 

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