The Wire: A Look Into Modern Systemic Inequality
Michael Tacconi
University of Phoenix
Soc/100

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Poor, urban, black neighborhoods have suffered the effects of high unemployment, poor education, high crime rates, and rampant drug abuse for a long time. While a chunk of society is aware of the issues members of these communities face, there are people that are unaware of the circumstances and might possibly have negative assumptions of the predominantly black inhabitants. The Wire, a critically acclaimed series on the HBO network, looks to educate the uninformed to the harsh realities of living in an environment that has been largely mistreated. Set in present day Baltimore, The Wire accurately portrays the housing projects of the inner city and uphill battle people are born into. The Wire examines how the interrelation between minimal job opportunities, urban governmental politics, the underfunded school systems, and social disregard creates a concentrated disadvantage for the urban poor. This can create a feeling of hopelessness that leads to drug use, criminal activity, and high rates of incarceration.

Public education is meant to be the “great equalizer” and the cornerstone of the American dream. The best way to provide a good life for your family is to get a good education, use that to maximize your earning potential, and encourage your children to do the same. Unfortunately, this proves to be more difficult to achieve for disadvantaged youth. Schools in the United States are largely funded through local property taxes, and occasional alumni contributions. Therefore, despite the need for more focused attention, inner city schools have less to work with, thus compounding the problem. Another reason for the lack of guidance and opportunity is the shortage of good teachers in these schools. Suburban schools can offer a better salary, better location, more educational resources, and have fewer disruptive students. Subsequently, the teachers in urban schools tend to be less qualified and often less motivated to teach. A perfect example of this in The Wire takes place during season 4. Prez, a former police officer, is looking to land a security job with the neighborhood high school. Despite the lack of teaching credentials, he is hired to teach math. The principal sees his experience as a policeman as a determining factor of his hiring due to the rowdy behavior of a majority of students. Much to Prez’s dismay, his role as a teacher is to follow a strict mandated curriculum that only helps students pass a standardized test, a test that effects the school’s funding and sends the student to the next grade level. Sadly, these kids fall further behind and frustration slowly kills their educational ambitions, forcing them to make a living by any means necessary.

Being born into and raised in high-poverty neighborhoods has influence that persists into adulthood and will, eventually, likely be transmitted again to the following generation. Due to high crime rates, very few businesses are located in bad neighborhoods, creating an absurd lack of job opportunity. Couple that with the out-migration of manufacturing jobs to the suburbs, many jobs ceased to exist in inner-city areas. Without an education, and assumably a mode of transportation to these migrated jobs, finding a job is very difficult. The easiest and quickest way to make money is to steal or sell drugs. The allure of the drug trade to poor adolescents, the money, stability and notoriety, makes it hard to avoid. Besides, they have seen it all their lives and it is accepted to many as a way of life. However, this just compounds the problem in their community. Areas of high drug use are usually high in crime rates and thus deter any potential investing in the area. Drug users as well as drug dealers are often incarcerated, and the social and economic penalties that flow from incarceration are accrued by those who already have the weakest economic opportunities. It is an uphill battle obtaining a job with a criminal record. A study of prisoners by the Urban Institute indicated that eight months after imprisonment, only 65% of those released had found employment at any point, and only 45% were currently employed at the time of the study. These numbers indicate that many of those who leave the prison system are unable to break the cycle of illegal behavior, likely out of necessity. In one scene, Cutty, a reformed drug dealer recently released from prison, pleads to keep his job to his boss, whom recently learned of his criminal past. Despite his punctuality and great work ethic, Cutty loses his job. With hesitation, he rejoins his old gang and returns to his criminal lifestyle.

To explain the role of politics in urban inequality, a brief history is in order. As jobs left urban areas as stated above, the Reagan administration reduced the amount of federal aid to city governments. Not the best timing. With unemployment rising, the drug epidemic and homelessness was rising. As discussed earlier, the politics of school funding is flawed and is not built to actually educate but to “get by”. Politicians have long talked to little effect about regenerating the inner city, and increasing opportunity, social mobility, and diversity. Little has been done to this effect however. The government seems to be more concerned with generating revenue incarcerating these individuals. We jail more people than any other country in the world, and twice as much as the next two countries. It is neglected as much as it is addressed.

Through the characters of The Wire, viewers can clearly see that various institutions work together to limit opportunities for the urban poor and that the actions, beliefs,and attitudes of individuals are shaped by their context.

References
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