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Quote by Michelle Alexander

“What does this system seem designed to do? As I see it, it seems designed to send people right back to prison, which is what happens about 70% of the time.”

Quote by Michelle Alexander

Author

Michelle Alexander

Michelle Alexander is a distinguished professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley. Born on October 7, 1967, she is recognized for her expertise in criminal justice and civil rights. Alexander has authored numerous articles and books on the subject of mass incarceration in the United States and its effects on African American communities. more

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“About 70% of those released from prison return within a few years, and the majority of those who return in some states do so in a matter of months because the challenges associated with mere survival on the outside are so immense.”

Years Matter States Challenges Months Return Survival Majority Prison Mere Immense

Author:Michelle Alexander

“When we're good, we're very, very good, and when we're bad, we're horrid. This is not news, because we're so much more inventive and we have two hands, the left and the right. That is how we think. It's all over our literature, and it's all over the way we arrange archetypes, the good version, the bad version, the god, the devil, the Abel, the Cain, you name it. We arrange things in pairs like that because we know about ourselves.”

Thinking Knows Way Two Hands Literature Names Left News Devil Very Good Versions Pairs Archetype Cain Two Hands Abel

Author:Margaret Atwood

“It's true that there is a rescue thing in people, and not just rescuing the family, which is kind of obvious from a biological point of view. But why is it that some people will jump into a freezing river and swim out to a downed plane for total strangers? What is that about? And it seems to be that it's part of your concept of who you are. That's why some people run into the burning buildings, because if they don't, their concept of who they are will be violated. They wouldn't be who they thought they were.”

People Ifs Kind Seems Running Views Building Concepts Rivers Who You Are Obvious Stranger Point Of View Burning Planes Swim Rescue Freezing Burning Buildings

Author:Margaret Atwood

“Millions of people are unable to vote due to felony convictions with the highest rates among black men. People in prison are denied the right to vote in 48 states, and while we accept that as normal in the United States, in other western democracies people in prison do have the right to vote.”

People Men States Black United Accepting Millions United States Democracy Normal Highest Vote Prison Western Rate Conviction Dues Denied Right To Vote Felony

Author:Michelle Alexander

“In fact, in some countries there are actually voting drives conducted in prison! But here in the U.S., we seem to take the idea of democracy a bit less seriously and people are denied the right to vote not only when they are in prison, but also upon release in many states.”

People Ideas Country States Facts Seems Bits Democracy Vote Prison Release Voting Denied Right To Vote

Author:Michelle Alexander

“People on probation and parole are typically denied the right to vote, and in eleven states people are denied the right to vote even after completion of their sentences.”

People States Vote Sentences Denied Eleven Completion Right To Vote Parole Probation

Author:Michelle Alexander

“Nationwide about 1 in 7 black men are temporarily or permanently disenfranchised due to felon disenfranchisement laws.”

Men Law Black Dues Disenfranchised Felons Disenfranchisement

Author:Michelle Alexander

“A lot of the stuff Kafka said he thought was hilariously funny.”

Author:Margaret Atwood

“Voting rights expert and legal scholar Pam Karlan reports that as of 2004, there were more black men disenfranchised than in 1870, the year the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified prohibiting laws that deny the right to vote on the basis of race.”

Men Years Law Black Race Rights Vote Bases Deny Experts Reports Voting Scholar Amendments Right To Vote Disenfranchised

Author:Michelle Alexander

“I don't have any option. I'm not going to be less gay or more pretty. I can't try to have less personality or fewer controversial opinions.”

Trying I Can Opinion Personality Gay Fewer Controversial

Author:Rachel Maddow