One in every 31 American adults is under control of the correctional system. The U.S. imprisonment rate is astronomical; it is six times that of many European countries.
A big city like NYC has seen significant drops in crime over the past 2 decades. Overall violent crime in the US had declined dramatically, as well.
Why are there more and more people in State and Federal prisons? The answer: Reagan's War On Drugs.
Our imprisonment rate is the result of imprisoning people who break drug laws, NOT violent criminals or even people who commit property crimes. The increase is largely due to more aggressive policing of drug law violations.
And, as you can see in the figure below, the aggressive policing of drug law violations can be found disproportionately in black neighborhoods. (White and black people take drugs at a very similar rate, but black neighborhoods are more heavily policing and drugs more common among blacks than white have carried heavier sentences — i.e., crack versus cocaine until recently). This figure shows that the increase in the incarceration rate is mostly an increase in the black incarceration rate.
Chart via Pam OliverClick to view largeDownload full size (105 KB)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
If Violent Crime Has Plummeted, Why Are So Many Imprisoned?
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