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Tackling the US prison system The US prison system has long been an issue of concern for many Americans. Despite the US having only 5% of the world’s population, it is home to 25% of the world’s prisoners. The US prison population has grown exponentially in recent years and this has been largely attributed to the ‘War on Drugs’, which has seen the introduction of mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines. This has resulted in a large number of non-violent offenders being incarcerated for lengthy periods of time. There have been a number of initiatives to address this issue, such as the bipartisan First Step Act which was signed into law in 2018. The Act seeks to reduce the number of federal prisoners, reform sentencing guidelines and expand rehabilitation programs. There is also growing support for the decriminalization of certain drugs such as marijuana. These measures are a step in the right direction, however much more needs to be done to reform the US prison system.
I got the chance to speak with historian Elizabeth Garner Masarik about her new book The Sentimental State: How Women-Led Reform Built the American Welfare State. An assistant professor of history …
In the last couple of years, Americans have rediscovered child labor. The Nation reported that “Child Labor is Back—And It’s as Chilling as Ever” and the New York Times declared a “New Child Labor Crisis in America.”[1] But, as I argue in my recent JAH article, the United States never completely abo
Another stop off on my roadtrip to Devon and back in September 2024. This time we're in Malmesbury, on a sunny day (these were quite rare) and meeting King Athelstan in Malmesbury Abbey. Athelstan was buried in Malmesbury Abbey and although they no longer know 'exactly' where he is (no doubt thanks to the Reformation…