Freedom Deferred: Structural Barriers to Black Men’s Rehabilitation and Racial Justice After Incarceration

Abstract

This paper examines the incarceration and rehabilitation experiences of Black men in the United States, emphasizing how systemic racism and historical criminalization continue to shape modern carceral practices. Drawing on interdisciplinary sources, the paper traces the continuity of racialized punishment from the slavery era to today’s mass incarceration and post-release surveillance. The findings reveal that U.S. prisons often prioritize punitive control over meaningful rehabilitation, reinforcing cycles of trauma, exclusion, and recidivism. Despite the policy analysis, legislative action remains insufficient. This research calls for a shift toward policies rooted in racial equity and healing. Three key recommendations are offered: implement culturally competent, trauma-informed rehabilitation programming; enact Clean Slate and Ban-the-Box laws with automatic expungement; and abolish electronic monitoring as a standard condition of release. These reforms aim to challenge the structural conditions that dehumanize Black men and promote a justice system that supports restoration and reintegration.