Final answer:
Loïc Wacquant and Michelle Alexander argue that current imprisonment rates are a form of racialized social control, due to systemic issues like racial bias, economic inequality, and the prison-industrial complex.
Step-by-step explanation:
This concept reflects the notion that mass incarceration is a tool used to manage economically marginalized communities, particularly those of color. The criminal justice system has swelled due to various factors, from political decisions such as the war on drugs and 'tough on crime' policies to societal attitudes that favor incarceration over rehabilitation or preventative treatments.
Contributions from both federal statistics and scholarly work emphasize how the prison population growth is not solely attributable to more effective law enforcement. Instead, it often reflects a combination of systemic issues such as racial bias, economic inequality, and a powerful prison-industrial complex driving the demand for incarceration. As scholars like Davis point out, the resulting landscape is one where certain demographics, particularly African Americans, face much higher rates of surveillance and imprisonment, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and diminished social and political influence.