U.S. Has Less Than 5% of World Population But Almost 1/4 Of World's Prisoners

Oh, yeah. Let's close more prisons, execute the prisoners and bury them anonymously ... just like in Third World countries.

 

actually, the Three Strikes Law is for any race. And they have low class whites, low class asains, low class brits living in this country too... what does low class have anything to do with the law?

 

I don't see how you can disagree with ymc when the statistics are what they are. He isn't saying anything particularly inflammatory about why blacks and Hispanics end up in jail. But 12% of the US population is black, and 44% of the US prison population is black. You can't argue with those facts. And while it's not nearly as bad for Hispanics, representation is still disproportionate.

In fact, ymc presents the kindest explanation for why the facts are what they are. He’s not blaming it directly on racism, but rather indicating that low income increases the chances that you end up in jail. I would probably suggest that at least some of that is straight racism in prosecution and sentencing.

 

Very well said, and the difference is even more stark when it comes to drug crimes. as you said, 12% of the population is black, but...

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%.

Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse: Summary Report 1998

 

Everybody cheer, "We're #1, we're #1, we're #1...."

 

Out of curiosity, do you have a breakdown by drug? Illegally acquired prescription cough syrup and heroin are both illicit drugs, but are hardly the same thing.

 

No, that would take far more research than I have time to undertake.

However, if I win the lottery, I plan to write my Ph.D. dissertation on drug policy and at that point, I will have more than enough time and gumption to give you the breakdown you asked for.

Unfortunately, as a result of the mortgage, tuition, and two young boys, I have to work too much to do that much research.

 

However, based on my general knowledge of the subject, there are very few states that make possession of illicit cough syrup a felony. Typically, any amount of cocaine or heroin will always be a felony (at least in Texas that is the case), where possession of smaller amounts of other drugs will be a misdemeanor, as will possession of "personal use" amounts of prescription drugs.

 

Actually, they are pretty close to being the same drug. It's like the difference between illicit Adderall and crank. They are very close to being analogs.

 

However, are treated very differently under the law, as are powder and crack cocaine, despite the fact that they are literally the same drug packaged and consumed a different way.

 

It comes down to enforcement
Take the YOUTUBE Girls where 6 of them jumped one girl
being white
they will probably get off with warnings/probation/misdemeanors

however . .if they were minority and wore red or blue
they would probably get felonies and more time

Notice the minorities now have one strike and the non minority does not
for basically the same crime

Alot of 'youthful indescretions' are more forgiven in the suburbs
than in the 'ghetto', 'slums', 'barrios', poor areas . . .minority areas. . .

In the east side of houston . . .several months back
some kids took a car for a joyride and got hit by a train . . .
rather than talking about some kids stealing a car . . .
we get news coverage about the safty level of train track crossings
Guess if they were minority or not?

Rocket River

 

Well, they are both opium derivatives. I don't have experience with either one, but my understanding from reading is that they are vastly different in their effects (not to mention things like delivery method). If you prefer, replace illicitly obtained cough syrup with illicitly obtained Ritalin (which to my understanding is completely unlike heroin) or MDMA.

EDIT: On second thought, don't bother as the person to whom I addressed my question (andymoon) already responded.