5 Ways Jay-Z Rages Against Criminal Justice System on Behalf of Meek Mill in NY Times

The rapper and music mogul detailed "how our criminal justice system entraps and harasses hundreds of thousands of black people," using rapper Meek Mill's two-year prison sentence for violating his probation as a prime example, noting Mill's crimes were committed almost 10 years ago.

Here are five of his sharpest jabs at the criminal justice system from his New York Times piece:

"The system treats them as a danger to society," Jay-Z wrote. "Consistently monitors and follows them for any minor infraction — with the goal of putting them back in prison."

Jay-Z also made the point that "half of the people in city jails in Philadelphia are there for probation or parole violations." He argued that if those being convicted for violations were treated more fairly, "we could literally shut down jails."

He cited his own personal experiences growing up in Brooklyn to back up his claim that the justice system is designed to entrap, rather than help.

"For about a decade, [Mill's] been stalked by a system that considers the slightest infraction a justification for locking him back inside."

Later in the piece, he wrote that Mill was being sent back to jail "because a judge overruled recommendations by a prosecutor and his probation officer that he doesn't deserve more jail time."

"A person on probation can end up in jail over a technical violation like missing a curfew," Jay-Z wrote, explaining that a "random misstep" could bring "consequences greater than the crime."

"Probation is a trap and we must fight for Meek and everyone else unjustly sent to prison."

Jay-Z also wasted no time in bringing up how tax-payers' money will be spent on keeping Mill locked up, when nobody from Philadelphia "would tell you his imprisonment is helping to keep them safer."

"In March, he was arrested after an altercation in a St. Louis airport" Jay-Z wrote, pointing out that after video footage of the incident was released, all charges were dropped.

He also cited Mill's second arrest in August after he popped a wheelie on a motorcycle on his video set. The charges were dismissed, as well, after he completed traffic school.

"Think about that. The charges were either dropped or dismissed, but the judge sent him to prison anyway."