The Path to Abolition: Coming of Age in the Era of Mass Incarceration Part 3

In this final part, James describes the long legal battle for his freedom and his eventual release. Following three traumatic parole denials, his luck began to turn in 2001 when a Supreme Court ruling allowed him to appeal his deportation order. Despite the anxiety of 9/11 occurring while he was still incarcerated, he successfully won a 212C waiver hearing in 2002, effectively stopping his deportation. In 2003, after nearly a decade behind bars, he was transferred to Arthur Kill, where he finally encountered a parole board that recognized his humanity rather than just his crime. James concludes by explaining why he is now an abolitionist rather than a reformer; he argues that the carceral system is a direct descendant of chattel slavery and is predicated on the exploitation of Black and brown bodies. He emphasizes that true justice requires dismantling these interconnected systems of imperialistic and racist violence rather than simply making them more “humane”.

Comments (0)


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Select your currency