First Assignment- Oh, Arizona

The forms of inequity here are vast, and while I'll stay away from an anti prison industrial complex, anti racism, rant as best I can. (After all its an assignment not a novel) There are some key components here to address.
Firstly, I think of prison populations as a whole. Statistically, they tend towards men and women of color and lower socio-economic status. Therefore, our prison population is marginalized from the start, regardless of their reasons for entering the criminal justice system. Then, we take their families who are presumably from the same race and socio-economic status who are outside the system, and we punish them as well. First, because they are separated from their family member, and secondly, because they must pay this fee. I can't help but think of Constitutionality here, be it the 8th or 14th Amendments. Could it not be considered cruel and unusual punishment to deny a person the right to see their families based on a systemic tax? Specifically one which is NOT going to what it is said to be allocated for, but a State deficit- which TAX dollars of the same working and lower class are suppossed to already be paying? Or the 14th Amendment, meant to provide equal protection under the law to suspect (read special) populations and due process? Do these Constitutional rights end simply because of incarceration? Last time I checked your status as a human wasn't revoked due to a change in location, a poor life choice, or questionable circumstances forced upon you but I digress...
In sum, Our systemic, institutional oppressions meet here at the intersection of race and class. It not only places those who are incarcerated in a place to "pay their debt to society"(I in no way endorse the previous colloquialism) but it leaves their families, suffering the emotional burden of having a family member in prison, left suffering a financial burden as well. All while the state mismanages its funds, provided by its citizens.

http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/09/arizona_state_prisons_now_charging_25_for_visits.html