Radical Commitments | Session 3: Abolition || Radcliffe Institute

TL;DR

Abolition challenges the use of prisons and advocates for a world without them as a morally required and realistic political goal.

Transcript

• Welcome or welcome back. My name is Carol Steiker, and I'm a professor of criminal justice at Harvard Law School, and also a member of the committee that planned this conference. I welcome you to our afternoon session, and the last panel discussion of the conference on abolition, and I'm going to turn you over to the very competent hands of our p... Read More

Key Insights

• 😒 Abolition challenges the use of prisons and seeks to create a world without them.
• 🙈 Prisons are seen as dehumanizing and perpetuating harm, especially among marginalized communities.
• 🍉 In addition to divestment, long-term strategies and investments in alternatives to prisons are necessary for abolition to be effective.

Questions & Answers

Q: Is abolition a radical position?

Yes, abolition challenges the commonly accepted notion of prison reform and advocates for the complete elimination of prisons as a realistic political goal.

Q: How does Angela Davis view the practice of imprisonment?

Angela Davis believes that imprisonment is dehumanizing, rooted in slavery, and perpetuates racism, political repression, and economic exploitation.

Q: What role does private prison divestment play in abolition?

Divestment campaigns against private prisons can be part of the larger abolitionist movement, but it is important to evaluate their impact and unintended consequences. Additionally, investing in alternatives to prisons is crucial for creating change.

Q: What is the scope of abolition?

Abolition includes rethinking and transforming practices such as policing, electronic surveillance, involuntary commitment to psychiatric hospitals, and other forms of state control. The objection lies in the harm caused by these practices and the need for alternative approaches to social issues.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Prisons are criticized for the harm they cause and their dehumanizing nature, leading to the belief that their use should be ended altogether.

• Abolition is situated within a broader critique of racism, sexism, imperialism, and capitalism, and seeks to address social problems through alternative means.

• Abolition does not negate the need for reform, but emphasizes the importance of improving prison conditions while working towards a society where prisons are unnecessary.