The United States wasn’t always this punitive. As we have discussed, the context of eras that we have moved 
through, our underlying philosophy of punishment constantly evolves, even if it is rather slow at times. 
Unfortunately, in the 1970s, there was a confluence of events that kicked us off on a path of incarcerating 
many types of individuals, more so than we had done in the past. This path of imprisonment or mass 
incarceration has had lasting effects. Below, you can see when the expansion of the correctional system 
began. 
Mass Increase in Incarceration 
Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System
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