AbstractsLaw & Legal Studies

Throughout the project we have worked on a comparison between what we consider old and modern jim crow laws. whereas the old jim crow laws were targeted towards the negro minority, the modern variant targets felons in the US. penal system, ‘coincidentally’ the majority of the felons today are also black. We argue through the use of a mix of General Strain Theory, Labeling Theory and Stigma Theory, that these modern laws may not be beneficial, but may instead cause strain that then leads to recidivism. Concluding upon the project we have found that there are indeed similarities between old and modern Jim Crow laws as they both targeted what is essentially the same minority group. On top of that a number of the old laws are still affecting felons in contemporary America, through different systems and interactions with the law. Advisors/Committee Members: Fernández, Vitor (advisor).