One social issue that I would like to address is the oppressed and corrupt criminal justice system. My father is currently in the criminal justice system, and although it was created to help rehabilitate those who committed wrongdoings, I believe it has lost its meaning over the past few years. One of the main reasons why the criminal justice system has failed is due to police brutality and the way police officers use their power. For people of color to feel comfortable in their communities and America, they have to feel safe, and they must not feel targeted. Furthermore, procedures such as frisking based on a person’s demographic or the area they live in are not factual claims to hold someone liable by arresting them or pulling a gun on them. The criminal justice system needs to better itself by reevaluating the limited programs and opportunities within the prisons that are allowed. These programs should include a prison-to-pipeline system and learning financial stability. In turn, the government should use taxpayer money that is going into creating more prisons, to help develop academic programs, housing systems, and food and clothing drives to give back to urban families. Lastly, the upcoming midterm has shined a light on the issue of voter suppression and the voices of ex-convicts and prisoners who have been silenced by local and national government regulations. The system of felony disenfranchisement in states such as Florida and Alabama must be re-evaluated to ensure that prisoners who have gone through the criminal justice system have a chance to voice their opinions and be treated as human beings and citizens of America. For America to move forward and become fully inclusive, reshaping the criminal justice system must be a priority on the minds of politicians to ensure that people like my father have can have a chance to live their lives again.
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