Week Six: Mass Incarceration and Police Brutality

The United States has a long history of incarcerating Black men at highly disproportionate numbers. The goal for Week Six is to explore the roots of this reality as well as explore the relationship between the Black community and law enforcement and the "Defund the Police" movement.

Week Six: Day 1

WATCH the TEDx talk: How We’re Priming Some Kids for College and Others for Prison by sociologist Alice Goffman about how black and brown teenagers are funneled down the path to prison.

REFLECT: Do you believe that most people who are incarcerated deserve to be in prison? Do you believe that a person who is incarcerated is reformed by the prison system? Do you believe that most punishments fit the severity of the crime? How does one’s economic status or race affect that?

WANT TO GO DEEPER? Watch the TED talk "What a World Without Prison Could Look Like" HERE.

Week Six: Day 2

WATCH the trailer for Ava Duvernay's 13th, the Academy Award nominated documentary about the role of the 13th Amendment in the epidemic of mass incarceration in the United States.

REFLECT: Have you experienced incarceration or the fear of being incarcerated? If not, can you think of the privileges/advantages you've had to avoid it (that have nothing to do with committing a crime)?

WANT TO GO DEEPER? Watch the full documentary, 13th, for free at Ava Duvernay's website HERE and read a summary of the issue from Ben & Jerry's perspective HERE.

Week Six: Day 3

WATCH Trevor Noah's take on Police Brutality During the Protests.

REFLECT: How do you perceive the police? Do they make you feel protected or safe? Or make you feel afraid? What are the factors that have contributed to those perceptions? Can you imagine why others don't have the same perception of law enforcement as you do?

WANT TO GO DEEPER? Watch the CBS Weekend News report "Racial Double Standard Evident in Police Response to Capitol Assault" HERE.

Week Six: Day 4

WATCH a segment on police brutality from Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Click HERE to watch the video.

REFLECT: How does it make you feel to imagine a world without police? What do you think would be improved? What would make you fearful?

WANT TO GO DEEPER? Read the Philadelphia Magazine article, "Philly's Homicide Rate Hit a Record High. Now Can We Get Serious About Defunding Police?" HERE.

Week Six: Day 5

WATCH LA Clippers coach Doc Rivers' emotional response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

REFLECT: Why do you think police officers who display excessive force are often not held accountable? What do you think needs to change?

WANT TO GO DEEPER? Read the article "Defunding the Police Will Actually Make Us Safer" HERE.

You've come to the end of Week Six: Mass Incarceration and Police Brutality

Please join us for a Week Six Discussion Group on Wednesday, April 28th at 1pm. We also invite you to share your anonymous feedback on this section. The feedback is intentionally anonymous to create a safe space for everyone's opinions, feedback and questions. The goal is for this is to be an open and productive dialogue, not a one-way flow of information. You can share your anonymous feedback HERE.

If you're looking to dive deeper, here are some suggested resources from fellow Buddhans:

Buy and read "The New Jim Crow" HERE

Watch "The Kalief Browder Story" on Netflix HERE