Mass Incarceration: Why Should Americans Care? | Monalisa Johnson | TEDxBeaconStreet

"Monalisa Johnson spent time in jail while undercover on the hit TV show ""60 Days IN' (A & E), and she also has a daughter who was sentenced to 10 years in prison. She makes the case that we are our brothers and sisters keepers, and she calls upon her audience to participate in a human rights movement of ""a major awakening in our consciousness for people of all colors"" to the right to have an education, to have opportunities to work, and have shelter and food.

In the 1970's there were 300,000 inmates in the U.S. Now there are 2.5 million. Mass incarceration is a humanitarian crisis that destroys families, creates a group of second class citizens, and costs 80 billion dollars a year. Bad conditions are not going to create good people. We must awaken to the thought that we have reasons to care about returning citizens, because it is a humanity, financial, and community issue. We are our brothers' & sisters' keepers.

In the 1970's there were 300,000 inmates in the U.S. Now there are 2.5 million. Mass incarceration is a humanitarian crisis that destroys families, creates a group of second class citizens, and costs 80 billion dollars a year. Bad conditions are not going to create good people. We must awaken to the thought that we have reasons to care about returning citizens, because it is a humanity, financial, and community issue. We are our brothers' & sisters' keepers.

[brianincanada]

This was a good message, Monalisa has a lot of courage. I don’t know how they expect people to transfer from the prison system when they’re unable to get jobs. Sad situation.

[ThePzrLdr]

This happened to my brother-in-law. He was a drug addict and ended up in prison for 26 yrs for armed robbery. He lost his life. Just joined the justice declaration. I have been looking for something like this for months now! Thank you so much!

[MsArrika]

I think one point always missed by the public at large is how these issues that seem to effect someone else, it always effects you personally in ways you might not realize. As a society I think we would do well to remember the age old " it takes a village" and "we are only as strong as our weakest link". Cliche, yes but truer than ever.

[ShadaOfAllThings]

There isn't any empathy in this society. People don't realize that crime happens when a people have no other options and addiction isn't a criminal problem but a medical one. Its a self fulfilling prophecy that we create for so many of the public because we don't want to admit what we do as a society is wrong.

[tekeyaradford]

This really helped with my assignment. Its very hard to swallow emotionally knowing thag my brother is doing 16 years for those of you delaing with the same situation im praying for you im also praying for the victims affected by crimes as well. This wonderful lady hit every nail on this subject.❤

[iwillchoosefreewill]

Thank you Tedx Talks & Thank you Monalisa for this talk. I'm sorry for your daughter & aplaude you for having the courage to do the 60 Days in show to actually walk that mile in her shoes. Theres no better teacher & eye opener. I have walk many miles in her shoes & yours. best wishes & kindest regards

[WillWay]

The prison-industrial-complex swallows up so many people who would otherwise forgo a return to prison, but are so shattered they are institutionalized, dependent individuals. Prison ownership should have NEVER been passed to the public sector, because now the need to feed an equity based system (stock ownership) is rampant, while the parallel industries to keep them ever expanding are flourishing. Why is the US the largest prison system per capita in the world? Greed.
The work of Dr. Philip Zimbardo is extremely telling about the dehumanization of prison systems, and his famous experiment with college participants, The Stanford Prison Experiment lives on to attest to it. If things spiral in a mere placebo, what can we expect from real situations?
Thank you for this excellent and provocative presentation, and may God bless you all.

[WillaHerrera]

I loved that show 60 days in. Monalisa thank you for such a great talk. You know what I loved the most. The girl that was a police officer and was in that tv show I knew while watching it she would quit her job after seeing what she had been doing to other human beings.

[mralmnthwyfemnin]

I have an idea to end mass incarceration: stop committing crimes !

[antoinetteconley]

Excellent discussion on Mass Incarceration. Monalisa Johnson was articulate and well spoken and also very brave to go undercover so she could find out what it was like to walk in her daughter's shoes.

[timm]

Excellent talk. It needs to be talked about everywhere and change needs to happen for real.

[sailorize]

The thing that needs a change is that instead of having inmates sitting around all day, they should be working, doing something productive for society. Not forced, hard labor.
Sitting around all day creates recidivism.

[ecci]

Thank you Monalisa for this incite...I needed hear this now!!!!

[katesanko]

There is no addiction with Molly, she def was doing something stronger

[Breonaleonard]

I can already tell this is going to be a good one !

[paulareed]

ONCE THEY ARE IN THE SYSTEM THEY ARE TAGGED TO THE STATE OF DEPT OF CORRECTIONS AND THIS IS NOW A CORPORATION YEAH I SAID IT IT'S A CORPORATION FOR THE STATE WHERE YOU ARE FROM AND IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO GET YOU THERE...

[skelegunsoooooo]

Her daughter became a college student and had a bright future but one conviction threw it all away

[phyllisdevries]

God forbid my only child was in prison, I thought I would die! All she was doing was supporting her habit, which will be with her forever.

[mohamedeslamhassan]

Wow ! the same with me
It hit me down in my heart ...!
but after all
I say what doesn't kill you make you stronger
then you made it work

[terrellegibbson]

i remember seeing you on that show nd thia was a very powerful speech, i personaly been to JAIL, my mom nd dad both been to PRISON, nd my dad is back in PRISON fause acusations...i will sign nd stand with you