The election of the first black President of the United States was to be both cause and effect of reduced racial discrimination. The situation always struck us as deeper and more complicated than who occupied the White House.
A recent ACLU report, noted that in two Alabama counties, where blacks account for 12% and 37% of the respective populations, they accounted for 100% of the arrests for marijuana possession.
This Great Graphic, we found on Mother Jones, shows that in the 25 most populous counties in the US, blacks were arrested significantly more often than whites for possession, even though the usage is thought to be roughly the same.
Part of the discrepancy may lie with the fact that laws regarding possession have been relaxed more in areas that whites tend to live and some of the possession arrests may be part of the plea bargain process. The handful of states that have decriminalized or legalized possession of marijuana have on average about half the percentage of blacks of that nation as a whole.
The US has the largest percentage of its adult population under the jurisdiction of the penal system than any other high income country. The racial discrepancy is significant and worthy of greater attention than usually given by the law-and-order right and the self-proclaimed color blind left.
The US has the largest percentage of its adult population under the jurisdiction of the penal system than any other high income country. The racial discrepancy is significant and worthy of greater attention than usually given by the law-and-order right and the self-proclaimed color blind left.
Great Graphic: Who is Being Arrested for Marijuana Possession?
Reviewed by Marc Chandler
on
June 08, 2013
Rating:
Reviewed by Marc Chandler
on
June 08, 2013
Rating:
