Why Are So Many African-Americans In Prison?
February 28, 2008It’s a staggeringly unpleasant report published in the Washington Post today which offers the following facts:
The ballooning prison population is largely the result of tougher state and federal sentencing imposed since the mid-1980s. Minorities have been hit particularly hard: One in nine black men age 20 to 34 is behind bars. For black women age 35 to 39, the figure is one in 100, compared with one in 355 white women in the same age group.
What does this suggest? Are blacks more inclined to crime as some will suggest? I personally doubt it. Rather, the implication seems to be that the poor (whether black or white) are prosecuted and convicted of crimes at a higher ratio than their wealthier counterparts whether they be black or white. After all, black men with money get away with murder too.
In other words, it isn’t race which makes the difference, but poverty. Poor people can’t afford high powered lawyers. And so they suffer the consequences of their actions at a higher rate than do those who can.
The justice system (what a misnomer that is) in America is broken. And those in a position to fix it aren’t interested in doing so because they have steroids in baseball to worry about. Besides, being lawyers themselves (for the most part), their wealth is based on pandering to the privileged. So don’t expect things to change.
The moral of the story? If you’re poor you can count on jail time if you break the law. If you’re rich- don’t worry too much. Because even if you do wind up in prison, Martha Stewart will decorate your room for you and Paris Hilton will see to it that you are out in no time at all.
I don’t think it’s the justice system (although there is weight to bear there) as much as the economic system. Most people find it hard to admit that Marx was right. For capitalism to succeed, someone has to be oppressed and someone has to be poor.
Now if my mom has sickle cell and can’t work long enough hours at the diner and the toll booth (or any two or three minimum wage jobs you want) to support your family and your baby sister you can either work a legit job that won’t pay enough so you can also go to school or sell a little crack down the street. The latter will get you into trouble and land you in jail someday - probably. Where is the problem there? Privatization gone amuck.