Mass Incarceration and Poverty Theory

How can we understand poverty to affect change for incarcerated

 individuals and returning citizens?

        As a social worker, it is pertinent to understand poverty theory, its different components, and how it affects not only individuals in society, but also social policies.  According to Ted K. Bradshaw’s article “Theories of Poverty and Anti-Poverty Programs in Community Development”, there are five major theories as to why poverty exists:

      1.      Individual

      2.      Cultural

      3.      Political-economic Structure

      4.      Geographic

      5.      Cumulative and Cyclical

While all five theories of poverty represent reasons why poverty exists, not are all widely accepted.  For example, theory number one blames an individual’s character and choices for their poverty (Bradshaw, 2007).  While this and the other aspects of the theories hold some valid points, they must be carefully analyzed before fully embracing them.  Each individual’s situation is different and individuals living in poverty are affected by an array of outside influences.  No one theory can apply to an entire community or group of people.  However, I believe there is one exception when studying returning citizens living in poverty.

            According to Bradshaw, progressive social theory embraces the idea that poverty is caused by economic, political, and social distortions or discriminations (Bradshaw, 2007).  One such instance this can be applied to is mass incarceration.  Individuals, who have been incarcerated, also known as returning citizens, are often held back in society due to social and political barriers that inhibit their mobility.  According to Steven Raphael’s work at the University of California, Berkley, “employment and financial difficulties, poor marriage outcomes, disruption and instability in children’s lives, and increased rates of communicable diseases such as HIV-AIDS have all been documented among the communities so disproportionately affected by incarceration policies” (Raphael, 2007-2008).  Because of policies that inhibit returning citizens from obtaining certain jobs and the social stigma surrounding former inmates, it becomes difficult to escape poverty, especially when entire families are involved.

            Poverty theory number three regarding political and economic structures is applicable to mass incarceration because political and social policies deliberately discriminate against former inmates.  These restrictions highlight systematic barriers that prevent such individuals from accessing education, employment, housing, benefits and other resources necessary to escape the cycle of poverty.

 

Raphael, Steven. "The Employment Prospects of Ex-Of- Fenders." Social Policy

Approaches That Promote Self-Sufficiency and Financial Independence Among

the Poor 25.2 (Fall/Winter 2007-2008).

Bradshaw, Ted K. "Theories of Poverty and Anti-Poverty Program in Community

Development." Community Development: Journal of the Community Development


 Society". 38.1 (2007): 7-25