Final answer:
The percentage of socially marginalized individuals being held in jails has recently increased, particularly affecting African Americans who are seven times more likely to be in prison. This disparity can be attributed to poverty, inequality, and the criminal justice system's disparate treatment. The increase in the prison population reflects a societal perspective that incarceration is a solution for social problems.
Step-by-step explanation:
The percentage of socially marginalized individuals being held in jails has recently increased. Incarceration rates disproportionately affect minority groups, particularly African Americans, who are seven times more likely to be in prison compared to other racial groups. This racial disparity in imprisonment can be attributed to factors such as poverty, inequality, and the criminal justice system's disparate treatment of individuals based on their identities. The increase in the prison population is also driven by societal views that see incarceration as a quick fix for underlying social problems. These disparities in imprisonment call for the need to identify and address systemic issues in the criminal justice system.