Blacks in U.S. imprisoned at 5 times the rate of whites

[peejay 327]

Blacks in U.S. imprisoned at 5 times the rate of whites

By DAVID PITT

Associated Press

DES MOINES, IOWA — Blacks in the United States are imprisoned at more than five times the rate of whites, and Hispanics are locked up at nearly double the white rate, according to a study released Wednesday by a criminal justice policy group.

The report by the Sentencing Project, a Washington-based think tank, found that states in the Midwest and Northeast have the greatest black-to-white disparity in incarceration. Iowa had the widest disparity in the nation, imprisoning blacks at more than 13 times the rate of whites.

Such figures "reflect a failure of social and economic interventions to address crime effectively," as well as racial bias in the justice system, said Marc Mauer, the group's executive director.

Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut and Wisconsin incarcerated blacks at more than 10 times the rate of whites, the group said, citing Justice Department statistics from 2005. Vermont had a ratio of 12.5, followed by New Jersey with 12.4 and Connecticut with 12.

Texas imprisons blacks at nearly 5 times the rate of whites. For every 100,000 people, the state incarcerates 667 whites and 3,162 blacks, the study said.

LOWEST RATIO

• 3 states : States with the lowest black-to-white ratio were Hawaii, with 1.9; Georgia, with 3.3; and Mississippi, with 3.5.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headli...on/4980051.html

[mawilson 2,133]

I'll tell you one thing: the solution is NOT to lock up more whities.

[Scott & Lai 12]

This is highly misleading without being told the crime rates of blacks versus whites. If both ethnicities commit the same kinds of crimes at the same rate, then the imprisonment rate difference is a problem. If, however, blacks are committing crimes at five times the rate of whites, then the imprisonment difference is correct.

[almaty 19]

I'll tell you one thing: the solution is NOT to lock up more whities.

just wrong but funny

usually, minorities in msot states are locked up more than whites..per capita...indians in so. dakota etc...

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

In NJ, the reason is that the police force consists primarily of resentful white ethnics who dislike pretty much everyone but themselves.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

This is highly misleading without being told the crime rates of blacks versus whites. If both ethnicities commit the same kinds of crimes at the same rate, then the imprisonment rate difference is a problem. If, however, blacks are committing crimes at five times the rate of whites, then the imprisonment difference is correct.

Even so that would seem to suggest that there some pretty bad social problems in existence - to create that kind of disparity in the first place.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Even so that would seem to suggest that there some pretty bad social problems in existence - to create that kind of disparity in the first place.

Wise words: social problems are indeed behind these sad statistics... anyone heard about "Driving While Black"? (no pun intended here, mind you I AM a minority after all) Inequalities exist. Example: death row is, in most cases, full of poor (and usually minority) people with no access to million dollar lawyers (with the happy exception of the likes of Scottie Peterson).

Sad. but true.

Edited July 19, 2007 by Len_and_Bren

[peejay 327]

The thing that stuck out like a sore thumb from this article was that the worst ratios were in the liberal Northern Blue states whose occupants often snear at the South in a condescending Holier-than-Thou manner and often have never even traveled or lived in the South.

I have no idea what the reasons for these disparities are, but these stats seem to create more questions than answers. There are too many variables in data to come up with a trend.

I'm sure there are some on VJ with more time on their hands than me that can track it down.

[Fandango 1,439]

This is highly misleading without being told the crime rates of blacks versus whites. If both ethnicities commit the same kinds of crimes at the same rate, then the imprisonment rate difference is a problem. If, however, blacks are committing crimes at five times the rate of whites, then the imprisonment difference is correct.

Bingo

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The thing that stuck out like a sore thumb from this article was that the worst ratios were in the liberal Northern Blue states whose occupants often snear at the South in a condescending Holier-than-Thou manner and often have never even traveled or lived in the South.

I have no idea what the reasons for these disparities are, but these stats seem to create more questions than answers. There are too many variables in data to come up with a trend.

I'm sure there are some on VJ with more time on their hands than me that can track it down.

Well in NJ and CA, the areas with the lowest socioeconomic standing are 'ethnic' neighbourhoods like Irvington, Newark (in NJ) and Inglewood, Compton, and Watts (in Los Angeles), areas which have comparatively high crime rates.

Its not rocket science to draw parallels between poverty and crime. They have always been related IMO. If anything this just shows that its a national problem - and that no one area yet has a handle on combatting the root cause.

Edited July 19, 2007 by Number 6

[mawilson 2,133]

The thing that stuck out like a sore thumb from this article was that the worst ratios were in the liberal Northern Blue states whose occupants often snear at the South in a condescending Holier-than-Thou manner and often have never even traveled or lived in the South.

The Northern states are better at enforcing the laws and locking up the bad guys, I imagine.

Edited July 19, 2007 by mawilson

[Jenn! 918]

The thing that stuck out like a sore thumb from this article was that the worst ratios were in the liberal Northern Blue states whose occupants often snear at the South in a condescending Holier-than-Thou manner and often have never even traveled or lived in the South.

Appears to me the sneering goes both ways.

[mawilson 2,133]

Its not rocket science to draw parallels between poverty and crime. They have always been related IMO. If anything this just shows that its a national problem - and that no one area yet has a handle on combatting the root cause.

Combating poverty and illiteracy is a worthy cause, but at the same time, it doesn't mean that

we shouldn't be locking up African American criminals just because they exceed some ratio.

[peejay 327]

The thing that stuck out like a sore thumb from this article was that the worst ratios were in the liberal Northern Blue states whose occupants often snear at the South in a condescending Holier-than-Thou manner and often have never even traveled or lived in the South.

The Northern states are better at enforcing the laws and locking up the bad guys, I imagine.

Or blame it on Whitey as VJ Troll has.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Its not rocket science to draw parallels between poverty and crime. They have always been related IMO. If anything this just shows that its a national problem - and that no one area yet has a handle on combatting the root cause.

Combating poverty and illiteracy is a worthy cause, but at the same time, it doesn't mean that

we shouldn't be locking up African American criminals just because they exceed some ratio.

Of course not. Crime is crime after all.