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ergo123
BANNED
USA
810 Posts |
 Posted - 11/18/2006 : 02:28:02 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Gorgo
Look at the statistics. White people commit more drug crimes than those of color. Who is incarcerated? Can you say that there is a reason for most of the people in prison to be there? Look at the recidivism rate.
I haven't looked at the stats in a long time--Gorgo, maybe you can fill in the figures below... But do the math:
Compare A and B, where:
A = (# of whites in USA jails for drugs)/(# of whites in the USA who are drug users)
and
B = (# of non-whites in USA jails for drugs)/(# non-whites in the USA who are drug users)
(User #s will, of course, need to be estimates.)
If A = B, the drug laws are being applied in a similar way between groups.
Given Gorgo's statement about who is in jail, my bet is on A < B... |
No witty quotes. I think for myself. |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2006 : 03:56:33 [Permalink]
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One of GeeMack's links shows us:
quote:
According to the federal Household Survey, "most current illicit drug users are white. There were an estimated 9.9 million whites (72 percent of all users), 2.0 million blacks (15 percent), and 1.4 million Hispanics (10 percent) who were current illicit drug users in 1998." And yet, blacks constitute 36.8% of those arrested for drug violations, over 42% of those in federal prisons for drug violations. African-Americans comprise almost 58% of those in state prisons for drug felonies; Hispanics account for 20.7%.
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I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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ergo123
BANNED
USA
810 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2006 : 11:14:44 [Permalink]
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well that says it all (or close to it all). i'm on my phone so looking up the link is inconvenient, and i'm missing one number so i can calculate the rates for "other". but since it's small we still get a good picture of this situation.
an african-american drug user is over 5 times as likely to end up in federal prison than a white user.
one question to ask, however, is whether unbalanced enforcement is necessarily a bad thing. assume for a moment that everyone in prison for drugs is guilty. are we garaunteed the right to equal enforcement of the law? clearly, if it is a sentencing issue the is a problem of equal treatment. but does enforcement = treatment?
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No witty quotes. I think for myself. |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2006 : 11:57:45 [Permalink]
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| Blacks are more likely to be arrested, more likely to be convicted, and more likely to be imprisoned on every level of the system than whites. The same comparison can be made for those with/without money. People are largely in prison because of their income, and those of color are more likely to have less income. |
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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ergo123
BANNED
USA
810 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2006 : 13:57:35 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Gorgo
Blacks are more likely to be arrested, more likely to be convicted, and more likely to be imprisoned on every level of the system than whites. The same comparison can be made for those with/without money. People are largely in prison because of their income, and those of color are more likely to have less income.
Indeed. Economic imbalance seems to be at the root of many of societies ills.
I'd be interested in hearing from any scandinavian members about crime levels and its perceived roots. My understanding is that there is less disparity in incomes and that the minimum standard of living in scandinavia isn't as low as it is here. BTW, let's include Finland and Iceland too as my recollection is that they are the most strongly socialist countries in the area. |
No witty quotes. I think for myself. |
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