What is mass incarceration? Mass incarceration refers to the significant increase in the number of people being incarcerated in the United States, especially since the 1980s. The rise in mass incarceration has been driven by a combination of harsh criminal justice policies and practices, including mandatory minimum sentences, three-strikes laws, and the war on drugs. The war on drugs is an example of mass incarceration in action. The policy, which began in the 1980s, led to the imprisonment of m

How Mass Incarceration Impacts Black Communities