View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. The author concludes in Chapter 5: "The New Jim Crow" that during the age of slavery, white plantation owners were motivated principally by what component?

2. In 2006, one in how many African American men was behind bars?

3. According to the author in Chapter 5: "The New Jim Crow," possession of a tiny amount of crack cocaine carries a mandatory minimum sentence of what?

4. Who is the former executive director of the National Center for Institutions and Alternatives that is cited as saying, "There are certain code words that allow you never to have to say 'race' but everybody knows that's what you mean"?

5. The author asserts in Chapter 5: "The New Jim Crow," "All racial caste systems, not just mass incarceration, have been supported by" what?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did the media and propaganda contribute to the stereotype of the poor African American drug user?

2. How does the author assert drug-law enforcement is different than other types of law enforcement in Chapter 3: "The Color of Justice"?

3. When did Whren v. United States go before the Supreme Court? What was the Court's decision?

4. How does the author compare the circumstances of a freed prisoner to those of a black person living in Mississippi at the height of Jim Crow in Chapter 4: "The Cruel Hand"?

5. How does racial segregation apply to Jim Crow and mass incarceration, according to the author in Chapter 5: "The New Jim Crow"?

6. What is discussed regarding Stanley Cohen's States of Denial in Chapter 5: "The New Jim Crow"?

7. What was enacted with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988?

8. What are the obstacles that former criminals face in terms of finding housing?

9. How does the author describe the crime statistics of Chicago in regard to race in Chapter 5: "The New Jim Crow"?

10. How does the author describe the circumstances of Emma Faye Stewart's arrest in Chapter 3: "The Color of Justice"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is the penal population in the United States compared with other countries? What different elements contribute to this disparity? What actions has the U.S. taken to address the problems of mass incarceration?

Essay Topic 2

What are the mandatory sentences for crack cocaine possession? What sentences are mandatory for powder cocaine possession? Why is there a disparity? How does this disparity impact the African American community?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the history of African slavery in the United States. When did slavery emerge? When did the Transatlantic Slave Trade end? When was slavery abolished and what forms of oppression followed it?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 838 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample