The War on Drugs, as portrayed in “13th,” forces the audience to confront the uncomfortable reality of the racial aspect of mass incarceration in the United States and the ongoing debate about its intentions. The Netflix documentary has the audience questioning the assumptions and bias of the American justice system while exposing the legacy of slavery and racism in America. “13th” delves deep into the complex and troubling relationship between race and justice in the United States, with a particular focus on the War on Drugs. Originally appearing to be “tough on crime” the War on Drugs in practice turned out to be “tough on people”. Instead of being an effective way of addressing the root causes of drug crime it criminalizes and disrupts minority communities.
The fallout of anti-drug legislation, such as the mandatory minimum sentences and three-strikes laws, has had lasting consequences. These policies led to a significant increase in incarceration, mostly people of color, for non-violent drug offenses. As a result, prisons became overcrowded, and families were torn apart. A vicious cycle of poverty, violence, trauma, and addiction continues to plague many marginalized communities. Millions of people with drug convictions have lost voting rights, educational opportunities, employment opportunities, housing options, and social services. With this all said there is little evidence of a significant reduction in drug abuse or drug-related crimes.
The question of whether this fallout was an unintended consequence or a deliberate action against communities of color is a subject of constant debate. While the legislation itself may not have been explicitly designed to target racial or ethnic groups, the way these laws were enforced, had an obvious disproportionate impact on the arrest, sentencing, and drug policing rates of minority communities. The disproportionate impact has put a spotlight on racial bias in the criminal justice system. (301)