Abolishing The Prison Industrial Complex

By Olga Guerrero

Credit: Andy Singer Cartoons

The prison industrial complex is the set of government agencies, institutions, and societal structures that together establish and enforce punitive measures for the surveillance, punishment, and criminalization of people. These include prisons, ICE agents, police officers and all that equips them with the tools to inflict harm. Most of the time, those who find themselves bearing the brunt of punitive laws and the excessive force of police officers are the people at the bottom of the social hierarchy: people experiencing poverty, LGBTQ+ folks, Black people, as well as other racial or ethnic minority groups. In this way, the prison industrial complex is yet another avenue for the oppression of the already most oppressed.

The call to abolish the prison industrial complex is grounded on the implementation of alternative practices through which we work to resolve interpersonal conflicts, handle emergency situations, and meet the needs of everyone to guarantee a fulfilling and dignified life for all. Making college education free, providing universal health care, and cancelling student debt are all examples of ways through which we could improve the quality of life of millions of people, minimize suffering and inequality, reduce crime, and ultimately, render the prison industrial complex obsolete.

For some, abolitionists are ‘dreamers’ and people who are far ‘too naive’ to consider that prisons might actually “protect” us. However, as Ruth Wilson Gilmore explains, it is precisely because abolitionists see all the harm and cruelty that exists in this world that they (we!) are actively seeking to eradicate it. The harm that people inflict are symptoms of a much larger problem, and we must address the root cause of this problem in order to get rid of it.

The abolition movement is a call to get rid of police officers and prisons, but also a call for something generative: to build a better world. Further, abolition must be recognized as a practice that we are already engaging with today. It is not something we are working towards; we are living it every day.

As part of our ongoing abolitionist efforts, it is fundamental that we take responsibility for the ways in which we as individuals inflict and perpetuate harm. This requires patience, honesty, and compassion for others and for our own selves. Consider the ways in which you’ve ever policed someone or suggested punishment as a response to a conflict. What are other solutions that could have better served to resolve the situation?

As far as reforms go, only those reforms that function as stepping stones toward the complete abolition of prisons and police officers are worth supporting. It is true that we cannot expect to tear down prisons or get rid of police officers overnight, so calling to defund them is a logical demand---so long as we continue to push for their complete eradication. Those reforms that are designed to increase funding or provide prisons and police officers with more resources are ultimately harmful. These reforms may consist of offering “racial bias training” or funneling more money for new technology to “hold police officers accountable”, but what ends up happening is that the police force weaponize their newly acquired skills or gadgets to continue surveilling and criminalizing people.

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding abolition.

FAQ:

How will we be safe from people who commit crimes? (I.e. What about serial killers?)

This question makes the assumption that prisons and police officers protect us from people who cause harm. The truth is that prisons actively feed these cycles of harm. Prisons and police officers only exist to punish people and not to rehabilitate them or to provide them with resources for them to rectify their mistakes. We must acknowledge that harm reduction begins with addressing social inequalities and deprivations---which the prison industrial complex does not do. Nothing is being done to address the root causes that have pushed people to commit acts of violence in the first place. 

Additionally, this question reinforces the idea that there are two kinds of people: those who are good and those who are bad. The reality is that we are all complex people who have been harmed and caused harm. Fortunately, we are also people who have the capacity for growth. To believe that we are inherently selfish, violent creatures leaves little room for us to grow and reflect on our actions.

Who will provide assistance to survivors of sexual violence?

First, it is important to recognize that police officers and prisons do not make survivors feel safe. They do not help prevent acts of sexual violence from taking place nor do they allow survivors to find justice or learn how to heal. They often fail to behave with compassion for those who have experienced immense trauma so survivors are often forced to relive their trauma or are subjected to even more violence.

Why can’t we simply reform the police and get rid of the ‘bad cops’?

The police are an institution that has killed and imprisoned millions. Their violence cannot be reduced to a handful of individuals. The violence they inflict is inherent to their history and culture as protectors of private property. The earliest police officers within the United States were actually slave patrols, and their functions have changed little since then. We cannot simply fund other resources while continuing to fund cops. These harmful behaviors and abuses of power often go unreported, and in fact, are encouraged as strategies to terrorize entire communities.

If you have other questions that are not covered here, I invite you to read into abolitionist theory (check out this amazing resource guide!) and learn more from the rich history of the movement.

Remember that abolishing the prison industrial complex requires that we stop calling the police. Instead, we need to prioritize care, community, and healing. We must treat each other with compassion first and foremost, always assuming best intentions. This is how to practice abolition every day. And these are the values that will push us toward a better, more compassionate world free of prisons and police.