Elizabeth Hinton - From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America

The video explores the historical context of U.S. criminal laws, highlighting the pattern of increased criminalization following expansions of citizenship rights, particularly for African Americans. It discusses the federal government's role in shaping modern policing and incarceration, starting from the Civil Rights era. The video critiques the proactive policing strategies that disproportionately target low-income communities of color, leading to higher arrest rates and undermining civil rights gains. It calls for a shift from managing crime to addressing root causes of poverty and inequality.

What tendency does the speaker observe in U.S. history regarding the expansion of citizenship and rights?

What were the Black Codes and how did they affect African Americans after the abolition of slavery?

How did the federal government's role in policing change during Lyndon Johnson's administration?

What assumptions about black Americans, poverty, and crime influenced the policies of the 1980s and 1990s?

What is the relationship between police presence in communities and crime rates according to the speaker?

In what ways did the investments in policing and incarceration surpass the goals of the war on poverty?

What alternative approach does the speaker suggest to address the root causes of crime and violence in low-income communities?