Our country holds less than 5% of the world's population and nearly a quarter of the world's prison population due to outdated criminal justice policies that largely target part the poor and uneducated of color. More specifically, the War on Drugs increased the presence of federal drug enforcement agencies and pushed through policies that dramatically increased penalties, enforcement, and incarceration for drug crimes, which subjected minority communities to of disproportionate enforcement and sentencing. Other policies such as “tough on crime” prosecute 16- and 17-year-olds as adults, causing these children to be funneled into the adult criminal justice system as juveniles. Such policies inhibit full rehabilitation and foster the cycle of recidivism, subjecting children to abuse and neglect. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Across the country, there are police officers who build trust by carrying out their duties honorably and demonstrating that crime can be prevented and deterred without the use of excessive force; However, racial prejudice, stereotypes, and the “blue wall of silence” have led to centuries of excessive policing, excessive force, and needless shootings. Justice Department investigations into police departments have found that many often violate at least three U.S. Constitutional Amendments – the First, Fourth and Fourteenth – and are repeatedly engaged in patterns of racial bias, often promoting petty crimes that become fatal to the poor. , American minority. Racial disparities in arrests, aggressive policing, and a long history of covering up oppression produce mistrust among minority communities. Within these communities, statistics have shown that police are likely failing to protect minority residents, particularly those of African American descent as they make up approximately 13% of the population but make up more than half of reported homicide victims in the States United. . Additionally, law enforcement officers are not held accountable for their actions in court. American policing is fundamentally broken. How to improve the criminal justice system in America? We should aim to reform our criminal justice system, addressing entrenched racial disparities in policing, decriminalizing drugs, and ending mass incarceration and for-profit prisons. The American criminal justice system focuses more on criminalization and incarceration rather than rehabilitation. We must reduce the number of people entering jails and prisons by changing sentencing policies that result in extraordinarily long prison sentences and by investing in alternatives to incarceration that have been shown to reduce crime and recidivism. Additionally, our unfair, for-profit bail system must change as it needlessly imprisons individuals who have not been convicted of a crime because they cannot afford to pay bail. Laws and policies that limit access to basic rights and privileges and the ability of men and women nationwide to reintegrate into society and its communities must be replaced by restoring economic and civic participation to these men and women. Please note: This is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay Reform within police departments begins with the.