McNair Scholars Research Journal
Abstract
This study will examine prison gerrymandering and its impact on residents of Metro Detroit. This analysis examines the fiscal, political, and municipal impact of prison gerrymandering on representation, taking into account the history of racially motivated disenfranchisement and political marginalization. Included are interviews with elected officials, social justice advocates, and formerly incarcerated individuals. The objective of the study is to explore the policy implications of prison gerrymandering and the process of transplanting incarcerated persons for funding purposes, in underserved communities. Through this examination, the approach demonstrates the relationship between the historical foundations that have perpetuated electoral inequalities, such as the Jim Crow Era, and reintroduces the possibility of addressing this issue in Michigan. The results indicated that prison gerrymandering has disproportionately negative fiscal effects on the substantive political representation of predominantly underrepresented communities, resulting in the siphoning of federal and state funds in premeditated communities that foster a cycle of incarceration.