In preparation for the in-class presentation, I focused on solidifying the contents I will explore in my podcast and organizing my findings in a logical and well-structured manner. I still intend on recording my podcast on my ideas concerning the connections between neoliberalism and the lack of fulfillment of the Sixth Amendment for indigent defendants and the rise of private prisons. However, I will transform my interest in speaking about the role that political figures play in influencing the prevalence of private prisons into a more solution-based discussion. The role of politics will no longer serve as one of the main focuses of my project, but instead will be introduced towards the conclusion of the podcast as means to present tangible solutions to the issues that arise from the economization of the criminal justice system. I also spent a significant amount of time this week crafting the introductory clip to my podcast. My introduction is a collection of commentary on the inadequate legal representation often afforded to poor defendants from different legal figures, including a U.S. District Court Judge named Jed S. Rakoff and the founder of Gideon’s Promise, Jonathan Rapping.
In reviewing my class notes, rereading segments of David Harvey’s A Brief History of Neoliberalism, and through my research online, I was able to draw more direct connections between neoliberalism and the injustices present in judicial procedures and in the system of incarceration. I found George Monbiot’s definition of neoliberalism very clear and direct (as presented in class from his article in The Guardian). Monbiot’s definition of neoliberalism directly correlates with Harvey’s, but I find that the definition Monbiot poses is more easily digestible. Some of the connections I have made between the economization of the U.S. criminal justice system and neoliberalism include: the prioritization of efficiency over careful deliberation in cases involving ineffective counsel (which is particularly prevalent when plea deals are accepted), accumulation through dispossession (the State saves money by dispossessing indigent defendants of adequate counsel), and the responsibility the State possesses in expanding the private sphere (in connection to the rise of private prisons).
Another aspect of my research that I worked on this week was gaining a better understanding of the mechanics of private prisons, or in other words, how private prison systems really work. I would like to still spend some more time on this subject before recording my podcast, particularly in learning about how management contracts differ across different private firms, and gaining insight on what these contracts actually encompass. The next steps in my project include finalizing the smaller details in my research, making more connections between neoliberalism and the criminal justice system, and recording and editing my podcast.
Youtube Videos that were edited for my podcast introduction:
Rapping, Jonathan. “Building a New Generation of Public Defenders.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-j20aGs6uU&list=PL45LRx7q-iB2goI5lup9n2DFf6TkOxKTq&index=3&t=633s.
Rakoff, Jed S. “America’s Guilty Plea Problem.” The Innocence Project. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVFcMtCjHrg&list=PL45LRx7q-iB2goI5lup9n2DFf6TkOxKTq&index=4.
Donley, Bob. “Inadequate Public Defender Funding is a Problem That Won’t Go Away.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv0zkWbz5-E&list=PL45LRx7q-iB2goI5lup9n2DFf6TkOxKTq&index=6.
Other Sources:
Burkhardt, Brett C. “Private Prisons, Explained.” The Conversation. Last modified March 20, 2017. https://theconversation.com/private-prisons-explained-73038.
Harvey, David. A Brief History of Neoliberalism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.
Monbiot, George. “Neoliberalism–the Ideology at the Root of All Our Problems.” The Guardian. Last modified April 15, 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/15/neoliberalism-ideology-problem-george-monbiot.