Why America Throws the Poor in Prison

Why America Throws the Poor in Prison

America built mass incarceration: the wholesale imprisonment of entire populations. Why, exactly, are so many people in prison – more than the entire population of New Mexico? That’s our focus for this week’s video: how a crisis of capitalism created a surplus population of former workers concentrated in declining cities, and how politicians and capitalists – instead of helping those people, and building a better and more just economy – built a prison system larger than any other in the history of the world to warehouse them. Chase Madar, professor of law at NYU Gallatin, explains.

Sources: https://rb.gy/ngorgz

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0:00 Mass Incarceration in America
1:39 The Crisis of the ’60s and ’70s
2:49 How America Built Mass Incarceration
5:07 What About When Crime Fell?
7:24 Credits

50 Comments

  1. JiyuuNoTsubasa1176 on August 8, 2023 at 7:54 pm

    Because being poor is a crime. But above all it’s a sin.
    I dont wanna go to hell.



  2. Gaetane Guitard on August 8, 2023 at 7:54 pm

    Money, prison are big business



  3. RYAN K on August 8, 2023 at 7:54 pm

    Our country went from condoning slavery to condoning incarcerating the poor what a country I’m embarrassed to live here poverty is tied to mental illness and lower mental ability. The rich elite get a pass for there white collar crimes



  4. MOSES SIMIYU on August 8, 2023 at 7:56 pm

    Why would I set foot in USA…. Modern day Babylon



  5. Kris klos on August 8, 2023 at 7:57 pm

    The us is the most disgusting country in the world. This is caused by the radical right christian movement that has made it their mission to destroy the world



  6. Kag Ki on August 8, 2023 at 7:58 pm

    Being POOR is crime!



  7. Jot Singh on August 8, 2023 at 7:59 pm

    We spent $2 trillion in Afghanistan instead. Ex prisoners can not vote.



  8. Chuck on August 8, 2023 at 7:59 pm

    The corporate prison wants to make money off your taxes.



  9. alfons tabz on August 8, 2023 at 8:01 pm

    your forget to mention the riots in detroit that causes many damage buildings and business flee.



  10. Jackson Houlihan on August 8, 2023 at 8:02 pm

    Because the rich can afford to buy their freedom.



  11. Grnt Tylr on August 8, 2023 at 8:03 pm

    Communist propaganda is always entertaining.



  12. Gary Lyons on August 8, 2023 at 8:05 pm

    I have seen take police only go after the poor never people that are doing criminal activity that have money



  13. Shartfinsoup on August 8, 2023 at 8:07 pm

    Gentrification



  14. leeloo on August 8, 2023 at 8:08 pm

    Mass incarceration is modern day slavery.



  15. Mario Ferri on August 8, 2023 at 8:09 pm

    OK what did you accomplish in the last 2 years..
    2020 this video was made and America is falling apart



  16. Gary Lyons on August 8, 2023 at 8:09 pm

    Sad but true all over usa if your poor your going to prison



  17. Alexander Sumrall on August 8, 2023 at 8:11 pm

    Perfectly said and demonstrated. One day we will help the hurting and the family of people that were Delt a bad hand in life



  18. BoboFrmBroward on August 8, 2023 at 8:11 pm

    1:39 – 2:49



  19. Not a Viking on August 8, 2023 at 8:14 pm

    Norway.
    This cannot be true, the USA is the best country in the world to live in.😂😂😂



  20. Chad Cook on August 8, 2023 at 8:15 pm

    So rich people who arent obligated to pay taxes or face consequences can have their way paid for by the industrial prison complex.
    That was an easy question.



  21. Louisa Now on August 8, 2023 at 8:18 pm

    *Prison for profit systems* keep incentives for criminalizing the poor and vulnerable even higher.



  22. Mile Mile on August 8, 2023 at 8:18 pm

    Land of the free….NOT



  23. lisa collins on August 8, 2023 at 8:22 pm

    Yes,America cares about its People.🤮🤮🤮



  24. Simon Fox on August 8, 2023 at 8:24 pm

    Ten years ago I had the opportunity to move to America..Thankfully I did not.
    America is broken,and when you say that to an American they go beserk,says it all



  25. Tercio de Carvalho Lucas on August 8, 2023 at 8:27 pm

    “Land of the free” my ass.



  26. Shaun Hall on August 8, 2023 at 8:27 pm

    We live in a feudal system. Democracy died a long time ago.



  27. Charlotte P on August 8, 2023 at 8:29 pm

    not to mention prisoners being used as slave labor



  28. HailMammon Moments on August 8, 2023 at 8:30 pm

    Do the countries who incarcerate less of their population encourage accidental/forced birth?



  29. Al Dinis on August 8, 2023 at 8:34 pm

    So they can get room and board and free medical



  30. David Wright on August 8, 2023 at 8:35 pm

    We don’t…The poor throw themselves in prison..I was poor…went to school, learned a marketable skill and avoided prison altogether….shocking….Just don’t take what doesn’t belong to you and you’ll be fine…..My two cents…



  31. Ashley Boyd on August 8, 2023 at 8:35 pm

    US: United Sociopaths.

    In Bus-Throwing our citizens we trust.



  32. Etothe2iPi on August 8, 2023 at 8:36 pm

    Isn’t it Republican policy that poverty is a crime? On second thought, it’s so easy to stay out of prison: run for President and call every indictment election interference.



  33. whatever man on August 8, 2023 at 8:37 pm

    i never understood why people want to make criminals the good guys. wouldn’t you want to put as much bad guys in prison? why would you want to be a victim of a crime?



  34. Mali Budo on August 8, 2023 at 8:37 pm

    America is dictature



  35. our12silly on August 8, 2023 at 8:39 pm

    wow



  36. RamboSambo2350 on August 8, 2023 at 8:40 pm

    America is hilarious. You found your country on the basis of being religious zealots and then once you have the power and money you act completely in contrast to the values you espouse/force people to live under the yolk of. America is soulless and terrifying. Claiming to be the moral arbiter of the world while your country is so utterly devoid of real conscience. The world would band together and wipe you out if you didn’t build up the most frightening killing force the world has ever seen..so good foresight there I suppose. You guys do do killing better than anyone else



  37. Stephen Saunders on August 8, 2023 at 8:41 pm

    Between 1985 and 2003 the US executed twenty one 17 year old males and one 16 year old male. All were executed after they reached a certain age in prison. They stopped because of a moratorium. What is wrong with you people?



  38. Mario Ferri on August 8, 2023 at 8:44 pm

    We promise everyone a dream of wealth in America…
    America doesn’t keep its promise and people tryed to find their own wealth..
    Never give the government power over community’s



  39. Vahid Buljkic on August 8, 2023 at 8:45 pm

    China is our only hope.



  40. Charles Casaburi on August 8, 2023 at 8:47 pm

    Given the skyrocketing crime rate we should be putting a lot more people in prison. White people are not affected much by crime. I live in Wyoming the crime I hear about in the media might as well be happening on Mars . As far opening up the jails & ending incarceration. Every libtard city in America is doing that & it isn’t working out to well.



  41. Alan Dcruz on August 8, 2023 at 8:50 pm

    FREEDOM!!!



  42. shawn burnham on August 8, 2023 at 8:50 pm

    5:00



  43. cptmiller132 on August 8, 2023 at 8:51 pm

    The hedge clippers guy didn’t even steal them technically… the "owner" left them in that patch of grass by the road something everyone considers to mean "hey come get this free shit" which the guy did and then he was punished for it



  44. Joe Cole on August 8, 2023 at 8:51 pm

    I’d love it if these anti-PragerU videos listed some possible solutions at the end. I am sure most that bother to watch would feel compelled to action if they knew it was a collective effort.



  45. The Gravel Institute on August 8, 2023 at 8:51 pm

    Thank you for watching! We’re launching this project to counter right-wing disinformation sources like PragerU. The problem is, they have millions of dollars in oil billionaire money and we have nothing but our supporters and our ideas. The only way this can succeed is if the people who want to see it help us out. Consider becoming a patron of the Institute and making these videos possible: https://www.patreon.com/gravelinstitute. We will be forever in your debt.



  46. TheMcportella on August 8, 2023 at 8:52 pm

    Quando eu penso q a única vantagem de ser BR é o sus…



  47. Abdul Hamid Mohammad on August 8, 2023 at 8:52 pm

    FREEDUMB



  48. Gene Sargent on August 8, 2023 at 8:52 pm

    Comment



  49. Brian said it so it Must be true on August 8, 2023 at 8:52 pm

    NO… America throws people who BREAK THE LAW in prison…
    Don’t break the law and you won’t go to prison…It is NOT rocket science.



  50. NikkiSpunky on August 8, 2023 at 8:52 pm

    You can only expect people to carry you for so long.