Tag Page MassIncarceration

In the early 1970s, the United States launched the “war on drugs,” framing it as a public safety and health response to rising drug use. Over time, historical records and later admissions from Nixon administration officials revealed the policy was also deeply political. It was not only about drugs, but about power, control, and targeting groups seen as threats. Former Nixon advisor John Ehrlichman later stated that the administration linked anti-war activists with marijuana and Black communities with heroin. By heavily criminalizing both substances, the government could disrupt those groups through arrests, surveillance, and incarceration. This admission, now widely cited in academic discussions, reframed the war on drugs as a deliberate political strategy rather than an unintended failure. The consequences were long-lasting. Drug laws grew harsher, sentencing disparities widened, and enforcement focused heavily on urban neighborhoods. Research consistently shows drug use rates are similar across racial groups, yet arrest and incarceration rates are not. This imbalance reshaped communities, families, and economic opportunities for generations. Recognizing this history does not deny the real harm caused by addiction or the need for public health solutions. It highlights that policy choices mattered. Decisions about enforcement and punishment were shaped by political priorities as much as public well-being. Understanding the origins of the war on drugs helps explain its uneven impact and why calls for reform continue today. #History #WarOnDrugs #CriminalJustice #AmericanHistory #MassIncarceration #Policy

Reprogramming the Mind After Prison

It’s strange to admit this, but sometimes I have to lock myself in the bathroom just to calm my anxiety. I’ll freeze in the grocery store, staring at the cereal aisle — too many choices, too much noise. I’ve gotten so overwhelmed that I’ve just walked out with nothing. There are times in a restaurant when I can’t even eat. The movement, the chatter, the people walking past — my brain focuses on everything except the food in front of me. These are all signs of institutionalization. When you’ve lived in a place where survival depends on routine, control, and hyper-awareness, your mind changes. You reprogram yourself — not by choice, but by necessity. Most of us don’t realize how deep those changes go until we’re free again. And that’s when the anxiety hits hardest. You feel different. You know you’re different. And that knowledge alone can be crushing. Institutionalization is a kind of mental illness — an unintended consequence of the last 45 years of mass incarceration in America. Until a person actively works to reprogram their brain again, they’re at real risk of reoffending. So if you know someone going through this, show empathy. Ask how they’re feeling. Listen without judgment. You might be the one person who helps them stay free. About the author: Andrew Goltz writes about criminal justice, reentry, resilience, and recovery after incarceration — drawing from lived experience to shed light on the human #TheStruggleIsReal #Institutionalization #CriminalJusticeReform #Reentry #MentalHealthAwarenessNeeded #Anxiety #MassIncarceration #LifeAfterPrison