Mandatory Minimums

Hurt Families, Children

and Communities
New Solutions Campaign
Promoting Fair & Effective Criminal Sentencing • Strengthening Families & Communities

Harsh and Unfair Mandatory Minimum Drug Sentences Have Filled New Jersey Nationally, one
The United States now has the largest prison population numerically and per capita in the world. More than in three young
2.2 million people are incarcerated in the U.S. – one of every one hundred adults. The U.S. accounts for only black men is
five percent of the world’s population, but we account for 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. under the
supervision of
Until recently, little thought was given to the negative consequences of incarcerating such large numbers of the criminal
people. But a growing body of research has found that our policies of mass incarceration, especially as they justice system.
relate to nonviolent drug law violators, are hurting the vulnerable families and communities they were meant
to protect. Children with a
parent in prison
Nationally, one in three young black men is under the supervision of the criminal justice system. Among are seven times
young black men who receive no more than a high school education, 30 percent will serve time in prison. more likely to
For those without high school educations, 60 percent will spend time in prison. The time spent in prison will spend time in
disrupt their lives at a time when they should be continuing their education, finding a job, getting married and prison themselves
starting a family. The enormous increase in the number of African-American men incarcerated over the last than children
20 years has been associated with a 19 percent increase in the number of families headed by African-American without a parent
women alone. in prison.
More than a million African-American children—nine percent of those under eighteen years of age—have a Men with prison
father in prison. Children with a parent in prison are seven times more likely to spend time in prison themselves records are
than children without a parent in prison. Keeping families together and increasing the chances of success for estimated to earn
vulnerable children and families is critically important, but mandatory minimum sentences tie the hands of 30 to 40 percent
judges and corrections professionals and increase the chances that families will be torn apart and children less annually
put at risk. than men without
Mandatory minimum sentences also destroy the chances for economic stability for at-risk individuals, families prison records.
and communities. A prison record continues to damage an individual’s chances for stable lives even after they Individuals with
are released. Research has shown that lifetime wage growth is severely limited for formerly incarcerated prison records
individuals. Men with prison records are estimated to earn 30 to 40 percent less annually than men without not only make
prison records. Individuals with prison records not only make less money, they experience more unemployment less money, they
and are more likely to have unstable family lives. experience more
unemployment
More flexible sentencing policies would also allow courts craft fair and effective sentences and to take individual and are more
circumstances into consideration. likely to have
The bottom line is that incarceration triggers a spiral of disadvantages that negatively unstable family
affect the incarcerated person, their family and community. lives.

S p o n s o r e d b y D r u g Po l i cy A l l i a n c e N e w J e r s e y
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