Another problem with the prison system, she explains, is that it perpetuates cyclical violence. Instead of fixing the societal, political, and economic issues that originally spurred the violence, we send our convicted to jail where violent incidents continue to occur. She also explains that there has been little evidence to suggest that increased incarcerations lead to a decrease in societal violence. We use prison, she says, as a means to solve the problems for the short-term without weighing long-term effects. We need to consider the broader picture, she argues, and construct a “radical future” that doesn't rely solely on the penal system to keep us safe.
Spending a year-and-a-half in the prison system herself, Davis has become an advocate for fighting judicial system inequalities and finding new and viable solutions. In her books, Abolition Democracy, Are Prisons Obsolete?, and her forthcoming Prisons and American History, Davis questions the effectiveness of a world where we lock citizens behind bars. In her writing and her public lectures, Davis dares to ask tough questions about our justice system in order to push for a world that is not only safe to live in, but also puts freedom at the forefront.