The New Jim Crow is a horrifying record by Michelle Alexander based on the race caste system’s return to the United States. According to the story, a large number of African Americans are imprisoned and afterward consigned to a perpetual inferior status (Alexander, 2020). The circumstance denied the rights such as protection of self-interest in the court gained in the Civil Rights Movement. Alexander represents how black individuals were denied genuine privileges of citizenship. Moreover, she infers that different spheres, for example, psychiatry, are affected by the unjust system of the country.
Alexander masterfully uncovers the historical backdrop of racial disparities in the country, moving from the Civil War to the Jim Crow laws. During the 1980s, Reagan started the War on Drugs, which was not a rational decision based on the relevant data but a way to strengthen his position (Alexander, 2020). As a result, liberal democrats were relentless in relation to any misconduct to gain the public’s support.
Those who are captured because of drug trading infrequently receive the decent treatment seen on TV or in motion pictures. Furthermore, most arrestees cannot afford to hire a good attorney to defend themselves in court. The obligatory minimal period of stay at prisons leads to irrational sentences, unjustly punishing people for small crimes. It is difficult to adapt to life after probation and parole, driving most wrongdoers back to prison (Alexander, 2020). After release, most criminals cannot vote, obtain public lodging or any help, and experience difficulty finding employment.
In relation to psychological science, The New Jim Crow questions the way individuals with mental issues, particularly ethnic minorities, are treated in the country. It welcomes the readers to put the issue of mass detainment at the front line and question the morality of the system of justice. This book shows an extraordinary presentation of how the carceral framework in the U.S. influences all layers of society. Additionally, while treating African American patients, clinicians, in general, neglect the symptoms of anxiety and mental issues in comparison with when they treat individuals of other ethnic or racial origins.
Moreover, prejudice can prompt psychological complications in ethnic minorities, particularly slow adaptability and desolation. The targets of racism often experience issues adjusting to serious life occasions (Bhui et al., 2018). Racism is also trailed by frequent encounters of delusional thoughts and hallucinations (Bhui et al., 2018). In case there is physical abuse involved, the victim is likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress. Verbally expressive destructive remarks about appearance or actual assaults because of aggression towards a particular race lead to psychological problems (Bhui et al., 2018). The danger to character and status and physical and verbal viciousness cause depression and non-acceptance of self in the victim.
In conclusion, Alexander shows how individuals of color were discriminated against by the War on Drugs and the demoralization of an attitude towards black communities. The U.S. criminal framework functions as a modern structure of racial control, even if it officially follows the rule of equality. The author demonstrates that racism can affect all spheres and systems, including psychiatry. It is important to avoid discrimination against mentally ill people due to race or ethnicity. Moreover, racism might be a reason for many psychological illnesses caused by the oppression of society and difficult situations in life, which were described in The New Jim Crow.
References
Alexander, M. (2020). The New Jim Crow: Mass incarceration in the age of colorblindness. New Press.
Bhui, K., Halvorsrud, K., & Nazroo, J. (2018). Making a difference: Ethnic inequality and severe mental illness. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 213(4), 574−578. Web.