What is mass incarceration, and how does it differ from previous trends in the U.S. criminal justice system?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: Mass Incarceration: A Paradigm Shift in the U.S. Criminal Justice System
Introduction
Mass incarceration refers to the significant increase in the number of individuals being imprisoned in the United States, particularly since the 1980s. This essay aims to define mass incarceration and highlight the key differences between this trend and previous patterns in the U.S. criminal justice system.
Defining Mass Incarceration
Mass incarceration can be defined as a phenomenon characterized by the extensive and disproportionate imprisonment of individuals, resulting in a high overall incarceration rate within a country or jurisdiction. In the context of the United States, it refers to the substantial growth in the prison population over the past few decades, leading to unprecedented levels of incarceration.
Differences from Previous Trends
Magnitude and Scale:
Mass incarceration represents a stark departure from previous trends due to its sheer magnitude and scale. The United States currently has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with over 2 million people behind bars. This is a substantial increase compared to previous decades and far surpasses rates seen in other developed countries.
War on Drugs and Sentencing Policies:
The War on Drugs, which gained momentum in the 1980s, played a significant role in driving mass incarceration. Tough-on-crime policies, mandatory minimum sentences, and harsh drug laws resulted in a substantial increase in drug-related arrests and lengthy prison terms.
Previous trends in the criminal justice system focused more on rehabilitation and the use of alternative sentencing options rather than punitive measures. The emphasis on punishment and lengthy sentences contributed to the growth of mass incarceration.
Racial Disparities:
Mass incarceration has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color, particularly African Americans and Hispanics. The racial disparities within the criminal justice system are evident, with minorities being overrepresented in prisons compared to their white counterparts.
Previous trends in the criminal justice system also exhibited racial disparities, but mass incarceration has exacerbated these disparities, leading to a deepening sense of inequality and systemic injustice.
Economic and Social Consequences:
Mass incarceration has far-reaching economic and social consequences. It places a considerable burden on public resources, diverting funds from education, healthcare, and social welfare programs. Additionally, it perpetuates cycles of poverty and social exclusion by hindering individuals’ reintegration into society after release.
Previous trends in the criminal justice system focused more on rehabilitation and reintegration, aiming to reduce recidivism rates and promote successful reentry into society. Mass incarceration, with its emphasis on punishment and lengthy sentences, has undermined these goals.
Conclusion
Mass incarceration represents a significant departure from previous trends in the U.S. criminal justice system. Its magnitude, fueled by policies such as the War on Drugs and harsh sentencing practices, has led to unprecedented levels of imprisonment. Racial disparities have been exacerbated, and the economic and social consequences of mass incarceration are profound. Recognizing these differences is crucial for understanding the complexities surrounding this issue and fostering meaningful reform efforts towards a more equitable and effective criminal justice system.
