Final answer:
The term 'stir crazy' originated from the experiences of inmates related to the 'war on drugs' era starting in the 1970s, which saw skyrocketing incarceration rates due to 'get tough on crime' policies and harsh sentencing practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term "stir crazy" is generally understood to have evolved from the experiences of inmates during significant prison system changes in the United States, particularly in relation to the era of increasing incarceration rates that started around the 1970s. This period was characterized by a shift in cultural politics, with an emphasis on the 'war on drugs' and a political climate that favored harsh sentencing and 'get tough on crime' policies instead of treatment and prevention programs. As a result, prison populations surged, and the term 'stir crazy' emerged to describe the mental distress and behavior resulting from long-term incarceration, particularly in solitary confinement or under conditions that limited freedom of movement and social interaction within the prison setting.