To prepare for this assignment, which is focused on the question of abolition, reading and/or screening the
following texts and interviews:
• “Is Prison Necessary? Ruth Wilson Gilmore Might Change Your Mind.” Rachel Kushner. The New York
Times Magazine. April 17, 2019.
• “What Do Abolitionists Really Want?” Bill Keller. The Marshall Project. June 13, 2019.
• Instead of Prisons: Nine Perspectives. Prison Policy Initiative.
• “Yes, We Mean Literally Abolish the Police.” Mariame Kaba. The New York Times. June 12, 2020.
• “The Case for Prison Abolition: Ruth Wilson Gilmore” (12 minutes)
• “Beyond Reform: Abolishing Prisons” by Maya Schenwar (15 minutes)
Assignment Instructions:
After reading and/or screening the above, in a format of your choice, respond to the following questions:
1. Crime and the Role of Incarceration. In your perspective, what causes crime? What role does
incarceration play in addressing the problem of crime? Is it effective? Use data to back up your claims,
and cite accordingly.
2. Defining Abolition. What is prison abolition? What are the central arguments for prisons to be
abolished? Why do abolitionists advocate for abolishing prisons? What do abolitionists argue for
instead?
3. Respond as a Criminologist. Bring the question of prison abolition to criminological schools of thought.
Identify three (3) criminological theories of your choice, and respond to prison abolition from each of
these perspectives.
4. Your Own Perspective. In your perspective, should prisons be abolished? Why or why not? Use data to
back up your claims.
5. Using the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Review the Crime Data Explorer tool, and consider what you find
in view of arguments for and against prison abolition.
a. How might data in the FBI Crime Data Explorer be used to argue for prison abolition? Share
specific examples from the database to back up your claims.
b. How might data in the FBI Crime Data Explorer be use to argue against prison abolition? Share
specific examples from the database to back up your claims.
Expectations:
• Cite all sources and use references, including a minimum of two (2) of this week’s readings in your
responses.
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