Five Faces of Oppression
Without faithful examination, most of our prisons and jails have become their own microcosms of oppression. This carceral form of oppression presents itself most profoundly in the five “faces” identified by sociologist Marion Young.
Violence, being the first and most implied “face” of oppression in the American carceral state, is not merely physical but also mental and emotional. The mental presentation comes in a myriad of forms: visual stimuli such as constant exposure to high-wattage fluorescent lights (24 hours a day); auditory stimuli from bullhorns, dog whistles, sirens, or the constant screaming of staff and inmates alike; and the disregard for clear communication, which results in confusion and bears great responsibility for the degradation of the incarcerated individual’s mental health. Lastly—but not least by any measure—emotional violence manifests in dysfunctional relationships with both incarcerated and non-incarcerated individuals.
Exploitation is the second most visible “face” of oppression in the American carceral state. It is a means of currency—a tool for both victim and oppressor to transact for an end goal. Oppressors are commonplace in the prison drug trade, exploiting vulnerable individuals for monetary gain. Often overlooked are cases where victims allow themselves to be exploited simply to be connected to or associated with the oppressing individuals or groups. Many are willing to pay the price to escape the evils they do not know or cannot negotiate with, because in prison, who you know matters.
Marginalization might not seem like a typical form of oppression in an environment full of offenders, but it is commonly connected to the charges for which each incarcerated individual was convicted. A caste system has been cultivated to establish a hierarchy within the American carceral state:
Brahmin – murders, assaults, robberies, etc.
Kshatriya – white-collar crimes (especially tax evasion)
Vaishya – drug dealers, drug manufacturers, weapons possession
Shudra – drug users
Dalits – sex offenders, LGBTQ
Each caste determines which freedoms or privileges an individual might enjoy within the carceral environment.
Powerlessness certainly comes to mind when incarceration is considered by the general public. The stripping of an individual’s rights and powers is central to the foundation of the American carceral state. Institutional structure is the manifestation of this fourth “face” of oppression. Daily controlled movement, institutional count times (seven times daily) where standing presentation is required, and the constant threat of reprisal and disparaging declarations chip away at anyone considering a challenge to such unbridled authority.
Cultural Imperialism as a “face” of oppression in the American carceral state might seem foreign, but when corrections staff hold all the privileges, it becomes clear that there is one dominant group—and we are not it. They control the narrative that is presented to the public. This measure of control allows them to silence the incarcerated population both within and beyond the American carceral state. Our assignment to the oppressed group often results in a complete disregard for our basic human rights.
Materials:
Mixed media on paper (acrylic, India ink)
3 panels, 18" x24" each, 18" x72" (complete)
October 2024
