America has the highest incarceration rate in the world. The nation's capital, Washington D.C, has the highest crime rate in the United States. However, that crime rate fluctuates drastically depending on the different wards of D.C. This mixed- methods study analyzes the central factors affecting incarceration rates in D.C through survey data and interviews. The purpose of these forms of data collection is to determine to what extent social determinates of health, such as economic mobility, living environment, and education level, along with the right to counsel laws influence the incarceration rates and durations in the 2nd ward (wealthiest part of D.C) compared to the 8th ward (poorest part of D.C). The survey data findings from this study will calculate the estimated amount of people in each ward who have reported interactions with the D.C Legal system, based by race, income, and education level. These quantitative results will be integrated into the analysis of themes from interviews with attorneys and non-profit leaders who will explain what needs to be done to help individuals in each ward stay protected from incarceration. The implication of this study’s findings will offer recommendations to legal scholars and local government on how to influence foundational changes with D.C wards to decrease incarceration rates for all D.C wards.

In May of 2022, Atlanta-based rap label Young Stoner Life (YSL) was indicted on Georgia’s RICO Act which categorizes the label as a gang. In the days following the indictment, the Fulton County District Attorney claimed that gangs like YSL are committing conservatively 75% to 80% of violent crimes occurring in their community. However, emerging twenty-first century gang research contradicts the punitive approach and rhetoric used by Fulton County’s District Attorney in addressing gangs. There is no empirical evidence or data to back the DA’s claim regarding YSL and violent crimes in Atlanta. However, what is evident is that violent crimes are occurring more frequently in specific communities where rappers like rap label YSL grew up and have included in their rap songs. When conducting secondary data analysis, the data suggest that these neighborhoods are the highest in the city regarding poverty, unemployment, and drug use, among other factors. Furthermore, this socio-cultural analysis argues that structural and economic factors such as deindustrialization, a federal war on drugs, and mass incarceration have significantly contributed to the violent crime rates in Atlanta today. To decrease the high rates of violent crime in Atlanta that Fulton County’s DA is prioritizing, there needs to be a shift from the traditional punitive approach from law enforcement specifically when it comes to rappers and how gangs are interpreted. There needs to be a focus on the root causes of the issue, such as structural causes from the war on drugs and deindustrialization, rather than periphery factors. There needs to be a transition from punitive approaches to more community-centered policing approaches to gangs and crime particularly not only in the city of Atlanta but nationwide.

Throughout the last few decades, police-community relations have been strained. To repair those relations, it is necessary to understand how citizens perceive the police as the result of recent events as well as other influential factors. A review of multiple studies regarding these topics indicates that perceptions of effectiveness of the police, as well as perceptions about crime and safety were strong predictors of how satisfied citizens were with the police. Many studies of police perceptions were done before the year 2020 and the majority only address Black, White, and Hispanic/Latino populations, with few studies focusing on Asian-American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) views. This is relevant to study because of the increase in hate crimes towards the AAPI community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased victimization may have affected perceptions of the police and interactions with the police such as reporting a hate crime. Additionally, the concept of prosecuting a hate crime is also something relatively new to the criminal justice system. Although hate crimes are not new, they are not commonly prosecuted. There is also a lack of available data regarding hate crime statistics. Through surveys and interviews, this project aims to understand the current views the AAPI community has regarding law enforcement. The influence of race, pre-Covid personal experiences with the police, and experiences with the police when reporting a hate crime will be assessed. The results of the survey will be used to develop policy recommendations for the criminal justice system, including for law enforcement, the courts, and new legislation.