Reagan's War on Drugs: the transition from slavery to prison.

[Londoner]

More whites use drugs than blacks, yet black men are sent to prison at 13 times the rate of whites.

Black teenagers are more likely to go to prison than college.


State...Black Population....Black Prison Pop.

Georgia 29% 64%

Ohio 12% 52%

Iowa 2% 24%

Minnesota 3% 37%

Wisconsin 6% 48%

Illinois 15% 65%

Missouri 11% 45%

Arkansas 16% 52%

Louisiana 33% 76%

Mississippi 36% 75%

Alabama 26% 65%

Tennessee 16% 53%

Kentucky 7% 36%

Indiana 8% 42%

Michigan 14% 55%

South Carolina 30% 69%

North Carolina 22% 64%

Virginia 20% 68%

Pennsylvania 10% 56%

New York 15% 51%

Delaware 19% 63%

Maryland 28% 77%

Connecticut 9% 47%

New Jersey 13% 64%

Rhode Island 4% 30%


A question for Republicans:

Why are black imprisoned at such a disproportionate rate?

 

[Tank]

Because they commit a disproportionate amount of crime

 

[liebuster]

More whites use drugs than blacks, yet black men are sent to prison at 13 times the rate of whites.

Black teenagers are more likely to go to prison than college.


State...Black Population....Black Prison Pop.

Georgia 29% 64%

Ohio 12% 52%

Iowa 2% 24%

Minnesota 3% 37%

Wisconsin 6% 48%

Illinois 15% 65%

Missouri 11% 45%

Arkansas 16% 52%

Louisiana 33% 76%

Mississippi 36% 75%

Alabama 26% 65%

Tennessee 16% 53%

Kentucky 7% 36%

Indiana 8% 42%

Michigan 14% 55%

South Carolina 30% 69%

North Carolina 22% 64%

Virginia 20% 68%

Pennsylvania 10% 56%

New York 15% 51%

Delaware 19% 63%

Maryland 28% 77%

Connecticut 9% 47%

New Jersey 13% 64%

Rhode Island 4% 30%


A question for Republicans:

Why are black imprisoned at such a disproportionate rate?

You are comparing different sets of statistics that don't necessarily correlate.

More whites use drugs than blacks, yet black men are sent to prison at 13 times the rate of whites.

Drugs crimes are not the only crimes that land you in prison. Comparing racial drug use and racial imprisonment is not the way to derive and opinion

A question for Republicans:

Why are black imprisoned at such a disproportionate rate?

Not sure why you are directing that to republicans. Are republicans responsible for a higher crime rate among blacks??? A large portion of black crime is committed against other blacks. How is that a republican or even a white problem??

Generally crime is more prevalent in low income areas. A larger portion of the black community belongs to a low income demographic as compared to a white community. The best way to combat crime is to elevate the social status of a person, but that is only done by empowering and motivating people to change the lives individually instead of feeding them welfare and food stamps. When you are dependent on the government for so long you become apathetic and in many ways loose the human spirit to better one's self. Government should make it uncomfortable to be dependent on public assistance not make it more rewarding.


With that said I do believe the "War on Drugs" is a complete waste of money and an utter failure of a policy. I saw a statistic out there that said drug use has gone up since the War on Drugs was started. If I was president that would be one of the first things I end.

 

[AllieBaba]

Why the hell is the question for Republicans?

What's that all about?

And why is the first thing that crosses your mind when you are faced with this alarming truth (that crime is a huge problem in the black community) is that it must be the fault of someone other than the people who are committing the crimes???

Do a little research. Yes, it has been established that blacks commit more crime, commit more violent crime, and are disproportionately represented in our prisons. There is no evidence it's because they are being unjustly convicted; every indication is that yeah, the black community is ridiculously violent and criminal.

Why is that? That's the question.

 

[martybegan]

Why the hell is the question for Republicans?

What's that all about?

And why is the first thing that crosses your mind when you are faced with this alarming truth (that crime is a huge problem in the black community) is that it must be the fault of someone other than the people who are committing the crimes???

Do a little research. Yes, it has been established that blacks commit more crime, commit more violent crime, and are disproportionately represented in our prisons. There is no evidence it's because they are being unjustly convicted; every indication is that yeah, the black community is ridiculously violent and criminal.

Why is that? That's the question.

these percentages of black incarceration also probably pre-date Reagan back into the 50's and 60's, so there is no real correlation there.

 

[Twin Fist]

maybe blacks shouldnt do so many crimes and/or drugs

 

[Dr.Drock]

This kind of sounds like the OP is insecure about the hand democrats have in the War on Drugs.


Both parties absolutely love the War on Drugs, modern day Jim Crowe laws, but I guess it's working so well and the number of users has declined rapidly since this adventure started............................

 

[editec]

The CRACK COCAINE laws are obviously racist.

No denying that.

 

[FuelRod]

When the so-called "leaders" of a community continually make you out to be a victim and tell you the world is against you it is no surprise many turn to a life of crime.

 

[martybegan]

The CRACK COCAINE laws are obviously racist.

No denying that.

Cosnidering that the majority of crime a black crackhead would perpetrate would be against other black people, how are the laws really racist? They do appear so, given the larger % of crackheads back in the 80's who were black, but they were designed to help the poor communities that were being affected.

There is a real difference between a coke habit and a crack habit. You have far more functional coke heads then functional crackheads. The drugs are very different in effect, absorption and duration even though they are the same basic chemical.

 

[William Joyce]

A question for Republicans:

Why are black imprisoned at such a disproportionate rate?

A question for blacks:

Why do you commit so much crime?

 

[Dr.Drock]

A question for Republicans:

Why are black imprisoned at such a disproportionate rate?

A question for blacks:

Why do you commit so much crime?

I commit a crime every single day, you probably do too on the highways. So I wouldn't play the moral highground card.

It's just our government and the media has molded our brains into believing something as crazy as this, what you do to yourself in the privacy of your own home should be punished.

It's nothing short of crazy, and most people just calmly buy into it.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

This kind of sounds like the OP is insecure about the hand democrats have in the War on Drugs.


Both parties absolutely love the War on Drugs, modern day Jim Crowe laws, but I guess it's working so well and the number of users has declined rapidly since this adventure started............................

Exactly. The War on Drugs has been a colossal waste of time and taxpayer money and hasn't even put a dent in drug use or drug crime. It's amazing how we never learn from the mistakes of the past, ie Prohibition.

 

[editec]

The CRACK COCAINE laws are obviously racist.

No denying that.

Cosnidering that the majority of crime a black crackhead would perpetrate would be against other black people, how are the laws really racist? They do appear so, given the larger % of crackheads back in the 80's who were black, but they were designed to help the poor communities that were being affected.

There is a real difference between a coke habit and a crack habit. You have far more functional coke heads then functional crackheads. The drugs are very different in effect, absorption and duration even though they are the same basic chemical.

They are exactly the same drug.

That is why those laws were racist.

A guy gets popped with a ounze of powdered coke and gets X years

A guy gets popped with an ounze of CRACK COKE and gets much more much time in prison?!

FYI, powered coke is smokable, too.

One doesn't need to convert it into rocks or freebase to smoke it.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

More whites use drugs than blacks, yet black men are sent to prison at 13 times the rate of whites.

Black teenagers are more likely to go to prison than college.


State...Black Population....Black Prison Pop.

Georgia 29% 64%

Ohio 12% 52%

Iowa 2% 24%

Minnesota 3% 37%

Wisconsin 6% 48%

Illinois 15% 65%

Missouri 11% 45%

Arkansas 16% 52%

Louisiana 33% 76%

Mississippi 36% 75%

Alabama 26% 65%

Tennessee 16% 53%

Kentucky 7% 36%

Indiana 8% 42%

Michigan 14% 55%

South Carolina 30% 69%

North Carolina 22% 64%

Virginia 20% 68%

Pennsylvania 10% 56%

New York 15% 51%

Delaware 19% 63%

Maryland 28% 77%

Connecticut 9% 47%

New Jersey 13% 64%

Rhode Island 4% 30%


A question for Republicans:

Why are black imprisoned at such a disproportionate rate?

Because they commit more crimes.

 

[Tank]

Blacks and whites act much differently when high on drugs.

 

[Mr Liberty]

More whites use drugs than blacks, yet black men are sent to prison at 13 times the rate of whites.

Black teenagers are more likely to go to prison than college.


State...Black Population....Black Prison Pop.

Georgia 29% 64%

Ohio 12% 52%

Iowa 2% 24%

Minnesota 3% 37%

Wisconsin 6% 48%

Illinois 15% 65%

Missouri 11% 45%

Arkansas 16% 52%

Louisiana 33% 76%

Mississippi 36% 75%

Alabama 26% 65%

Tennessee 16% 53%

Kentucky 7% 36%

Indiana 8% 42%

Michigan 14% 55%

South Carolina 30% 69%

North Carolina 22% 64%

Virginia 20% 68%

Pennsylvania 10% 56%

New York 15% 51%

Delaware 19% 63%

Maryland 28% 77%

Connecticut 9% 47%

New Jersey 13% 64%

Rhode Island 4% 30%


A question for Republicans:

Why are black imprisoned at such a disproportionate rate?

You are comparing different sets of statistics that don't necessarily correlate.

More whites use drugs than blacks, yet black men are sent to prison at 13 times the rate of whites.

Drugs crimes are not the only crimes that land you in prison. Comparing racial drug use and racial imprisonment is not the way to derive and opinion

A question for Republicans:

Why are black imprisoned at such a disproportionate rate?

Not sure why you are directing that to republicans. Are republicans responsible for a higher crime rate among blacks??? A large portion of black crime is committed against other blacks. How is that a republican or even a white problem??

Generally crime is more prevalent in low income areas. A larger portion of the black community belongs to a low income demographic as compared to a white community. The best way to combat crime is to elevate the social status of a person, but that is only done by empowering and motivating people to change the lives individually instead of feeding them welfare and food stamps. When you are dependent on the government for so long you become apathetic and in many ways loose the human spirit to better one's self. Government should make it uncomfortable to be dependent on public assistance not make it more rewarding.


With that said I do believe the "War on Drugs" is a complete waste of money and an utter failure of a policy. I saw a statistic out there that said drug use has gone up since the War on Drugs was started. If I was president that would be one of the first things I end.

I agree. I believe the war on drugs has failed. It has not kept anyone from using drugs. It assist organized crime and waste public funds. Legalize all drugs and tax it.

 

[whitehall]

Let's see, the public wanted the federal governmenbt to do something about the escalating drug problem so the democrat majority in congress did something about it and a republican president signed the bill. Now the hate filled fools dig up an old race card and blame Reagan because more Blacks went to prison on drug related charges? What a bunch.

 

[Londoner]

Not sure why you are directing that to republicans. Are republicans responsible for a higher crime rate among blacks??? A large portion of black crime is committed against other blacks. How is that a republican or even a white problem??

Generally crime is more prevalent in low income areas. A larger portion of the black community belongs to a low income demographic as compared to a white community.

I appreciate your nuanced comments on my data errors. I'm going to have to consider what you said.

My goal with this thread:

I am trying to tease out competing conceptions of crime. Republicans tend to view crime as a function of character, e.g., bad choices, no discipline. ["Character is king"] Whereas Liberals tend to view it as a social problem, e.g., lack of opportunity.

[Some] Republicans look at the data and believe they are seeing a confirmation of their feelings, i.e., blacks committ more crime because they are morally inferior. What else, in their minds, but morally and intellectually flawed choices could explain why blacks commit crime at such disproportionately high rates? This becomes problematic in those instances where the data only serves to confirm the racism of the interpreter.

Liberals look at the same data and think: what else but racial and/or class based distribution flaws ("exploitation") could explain such high crime rates along racial lines? Indeed, when blacks have opportunity, like Obama, they prove themselves every bit as intelligent and qualified as whites. Therefore, if you increase their access to resources like education, you will begin to erase the economic factors that lead to disproportionate incarceration rates.

Your response is more interesting than others I've read because it is a hybrid. You indicate that the problem is partly economic, not totally character driven- and that government, by enabling dependency over accountability, actually causes the wealth disparity which underlies the crime data.

I think the "character is king" crowd oversimplifies free will with the same passionate idiocy that the Left factors it out. That is, one group reduces class or economic behavior into so many flawed choices; whereas the other explains all bad choices as so many flawed social policies. In each case the relevant group sees their own biases reflected in the data, like comforting images in the stars.

 

[theHawk]

Blacks commit more crimes because the vast majority of them are Democrats.

Blindly following an ideaology based on lies is only going to lead to a bad place.