Lorenzo Steele Jr., the Chairman of the Anson County NAACP Criminal Justice, introduces the county's inaugural mobile prison art museum. This museum aims to highlight the issues surrounding mass incarceration and to provide strategies for youth to steer clear of the prison system. Featured exhibits include photographs, installations, and a replica of a prison cell. Lorenzo Steele Jr. is a former corrections officer from New York City, having served 12 years at the notorious Rikers Island from 1987 to 1999.
In 1988, the incarceration rate in the United States reached 244 sentenced inmates per 100,000 residents, reflecting a 76% rise since 1980, as indicated by the U.S. Department of Justice. Steele was employed at Rikers Island during its operation as a facility for adolescents, despite New York State enacting a law in late 2018 to prohibit the incarceration of individuals under 18 in adult correctional facilities, as stated on the official New York State government website.
School administrators implemented President Reagan's zero-tolerance policy, which penalized students for minor infractions and disrupted their learning environment. A report from the British Journal of Criminology in 1994 indicated that in 1989, Black children constituted 48% of the population in juvenile detention centers. Observing the situation, Steele took his camera into Rikers Island to capture the ongoing events. Following his retirement, he felt compelled to share those images, which have evolved into a mobile exhibition that portrays the harsh realities of incarceration. Steele focuses on young children and teenagers, particularly those who are influenced by the glamorization of criminal behavior. Since 2001, he has been displaying his photographs with the aim of steering young individuals away from a path of destruction.
To schedule a tour, please contact via email or phone: Lorenzosteele1@yahoo.com or call 646-529-1764.
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