Transcript Racial Disparities in Criminal Justice: Linking Profiling and Poverty

Racial Disparities in Criminal
Justice in Wisconsin
Pamela Oliver
Plan for the Talk
• National overview
• Wisconsin patterns in imprisonment (with
mention of overall incarceration)
• Age Patterns of imprisonment in Wisconsin
• County comparisons in imprisonment
• County comparisons in arrests: Short
• Implications: making the problem worse
• What is to be done
The Magnitude of the Problem
Comparing International Incarceration Rates (Source: Sentencing Project)
World Incarceration Rates in 1995: Adding US Race Patterns
US Blacks prison 1995
US whites prison 1995
US blacks prison & jail 1995
US whites prison & jail 1995
Russia
Romania
South Africa
Ukraine
England & Wales
Scotland
Switzerland
Sweden
Netherlands
Japan
Italy
Germany
France
Denmark
China
Canada
Belgium
Austria
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
Nationally, The Black Population is Being
Imprisoned at Alarming Rates
• Upwards of 1/3 of the Black male population is
under the supervision of the correctional system
(prison, jail, parole, probation)
• Estimated “lifetime expectancy” of spending
some time in prison is 29% for young Black men.
• About 12% of Black men in their 20s are in
prison
• 7% of Black children, 2.6% of Hispanic children,
.8% of White children have a parent in prison (at
one time) – lifetime expectancy much higher
About Rates & Disparity Ratios
• Imprisonment and arrest rates are expressed as the
rate per 100,000 of the appropriate population
• Example: In 1999 Wisconsin new prison sentences
– 1021 Whites imprisoned, White population of Wisconsin
was 4,701,123: 1021 ÷ 4701123 = .000217. Multiply .00021
by 100,000 = 22, the imprisonment rate per 100,000
population.
– 1,266 Blacks imprisoned, Black population of Wisconsin
was 285,308. 1266 ÷ 285308 = .004437. Multiply by
100,000 = 444
• Calculate Disparity Ratios by dividing rates: 444/22
= 20.4 the Black/White ratio in new prison sentence
rates
800
7
700
6
600
5
500
4
400
3
300
2
200
100
1
0
0
1920
1930
1940
1950
White Rate
1960
1970
Black Rate
1980
1990
Ratio
2000
Black/White Ratio
Prision Admission Rate
US Prison Admissions by Race
The 1970’s Policy Shift
• Shift to determinate sentencing, higher
penalties
• LEAA, increased funding for police
departments
• Crime becomes a political issue
• Drug war funding gives incentives to police to
generate drug arrests & convictions
• Post-civil rights post-riots competitive race
relations, race-coded political rhetoric.?
Monthly Riot Counts 1964-1971
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
Social Conditions, Political Processes, Crime, and Corrections
Feedback from Imprisonment to Social Conditions
Crime
Social &
Demographic
Conditions
Social Control, Deterrence
Arrests
Judicial
Processes
Corrections
Outcomes
Police
Enforcement
Political
Processes
Laws,
Penalties
Prison
Interests
Imprisonment Has Increased While Crime
Has Declined
• Imprisonment rates are a function of
responses to crime, not a function of
crime itself
• Property crimes declined steadily
between 1970s and 2000
• Violent crime declined modestly overall,
with smaller ups and downs in the period
Crime Trends
Source: Crunching Numbers: Crime and
Incarceration at the End of the
Millennium by Jan M. Chaiken
Based on Bureau of Justice Statistics data
from National Crime Victimization
Survey. Figures adjusted for changed
methodology, shaded area marks change.
Property Crime
Violent Crime
Rape
The Drug War
• Most of the increase in imprisonment is due to
drug offenses.
• Drug use rates have generally declined since
the 1980s, while drug imprisonments have
increased.
• Black adult drug use rates are only slightly
higher than White (see next chart), while their
imprisonment rates for drugs are enormous
• Among juveniles, Blacks use illegal drugs less
than Whites, but Black juveniles have much
higher drug arrest rates.
Current Illicit Drug Use Among Adults
(National Patterns)
•
•
•
•
6.6 percent for Whites
6.8 percent for Hispanics
7.7 percent for Blacks
10.6 percent for American Indian/Alaska
Natives (this is largely marijuana, rates for other
drugs are lower than other races)
• 11.2 percent for persons reporting multiple race
• 3.2 percent for Asians
• Source: 1999 National Household Survey on
Drug Abuse
Wisconsin’s High Black Incarceration Rate
Headlines in 2002
“Wisconsin #1 in Black
incarceration in 2001”
Contributors to Incarceration Rates
• Prisons (state-level & federal facilities)
– New sentences for new offenses
– Length of sentence for each offense
– Probation & parole revocations
• Jails (local county-level facilities)
– Short-term sentences for convictions (number &
length per sentence
– Held awaiting trial
– Held awaiting probation/parole revocation hearing
• Growing use of prisons/jails for disruptive
mentally ill
Disparities Higher For Prison than Jail
• BJS said Wisconsin’s overall Black/White
incarceration disparity is 10 to 1.
• Prison disparity is closer to 20 to 1
• This means there is less disparity in jail than
prisons
• Most of Wisconsin’s counties are overwhelmingly
White, presumably have overwhelmingly Whites
in their jails
• Prisons in Wisconsin are now majority Black
despite Blacks being only 5% of general
population
Wisconsin Prison Admissions
Including Detailed Time Trends
1990-1999
New Imprisonment Rates by State, 1996
California
Oregon
Nevada
Missouri
Kentucky
Arkansa
N. Carolina
Tennessee
S. Dakota
S. Carolina
Louisiana
Mississippi
Georgia
Oklahoma
Iowa
Utah
Texas
Alabama
Ohio
Virginia
Florida
Hawaii
Colorado
Maryland
Nebraska
Washington
NewHamp.
Illinois
Michigan
N. Dakota
Maine
Wisconsin
W. Virginia
NewJersey
NewYork
Minnesota
Pennsylvania
0
500
1000
Blacks
Whites
1500
2000
National & Wisconsin Imprisonment Rates
Prision Admissions Per 100000
1000
800
600
400
200
0
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
year in 1900s
BlackWisc
WhiteWisc
WhiteUS
BlackUS
1400
Wisconsin: Total Prison Admissions
Wisconsin Prison Admissions
Blackby Race
1200
Rate per 100,000 population
1000
800
600
AmerInd
400
Hispanic
200
White
0
1990
Asian
1991
1992
White, NH total
1993
Black, NH total
1994
1995
Hispanic total
1996
1997
American Indian Total
1998
Asian Total
1999
Wisconsin Total Imprisonment Rates, White Non-Hispanics
Wisconsin:
White NH Total Prison Admissions
25
Total Admits, Whites
Violent
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
20
Theft
15
Robbery & Burglary
10
Drugs
5
Other
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
Wisconsin: Black NH Total Prison Admissions
Total Admits, Offense Blacks
450
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
400
Drugs
350
Violent
300
Robbery & Burglary
250
200
150
100
Other
Theft
50
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
Wisconsin: Hispanics Total Prison
Admissions
Total Admits,
Hispanics
160
Drugs
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
140
120
Violent
100
80
Robbery & Burglary
60
40
Theft
20
Other
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
Proportion of Admissions Involving New
Sentences
60%
40%
43%
39%
18%
20%
0%
New Only
New + Viol
Viol Only
Whites Wisconsin Total
White Admissions Status
35
Violation Only
30
New Sentence Only
25
20
15
10
5
Violation + New
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
prison admits per 100,000
White viol only
White new only
1996
White viol+new
1997
1998
1999
Blacks
Wisconsin
Total
Blacks Admission Status
700
600
Violation Only
New Sentence Only
500
400
300
200
100
Violation + New
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
prison admits per 100,000
black viol only
Black new only
Black viol+new
1997
1998
1999
700
Wisconsin Total: Probation/Parole Violators
Total admits, violations only
600
Black
Rate per 100,000 population
500
400
AmerInd
300
200
Hispanic
100
0
1990
White
1991
1992
White, NH total
1993
Black, NH total
1994
1995
Hispanic total
1996
1997
Asian
American Indian Total
1998
Asian Total
1999
Violators, White Non-Hispanics
Whites, Violators
10
Violent
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
9
8
Theft
7
6
Robbery & Burglary
5
Other
4
3
2
Drugs
1
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
Violators, Black Non-Hispanics
160
Black violators
Drugs
140
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
Violent
120
Theft
100
Robbery & Burglary
80
Other
60
40
20
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
Wisconsin
New
Prison Sentences
Only Only
Prison
AdmissionTotal:
by Race
1990-1999,
New Sentence
600
Total Admits, New Sentences Only
Black
Rate per 100,000 population
500
400
300
200
Hispanic
100
AmerInd
Asian
White
0
1990
1991
1992
White, NH total
1993
Black, NH total
1994
1995
Hispanic total
1996
1997
American Indian Total
1998
Asian Total
1999
Wisconsin Total New Sentences, White NH
New Sentences, Whites
12
Violent
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
10
8
Robbery & Burglary
6
4
2
Other
Theft
Drugs
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
Wisconsin Total: New Sentences, Blacks NH
250
New Sentences, Blacks Offense
Drugs
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
200
150
Violent
100
Robbery & Burglary
Theft
50
Other
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
Conclusions About Wisconsin Prison
Admissions
• Huge racial disparities, especially Black vs.
White
• Probation/parole violators returning to
prison are a major source of the rise
• Blacks show steep rises in new sentences for
drugs, while Whites show no increase
• White new sentences are primarily for violent
offenses.
• Black new sentences are primarily for drug
offenses.
Age Patterns for Imprisonment
Wisconsin Total New Prison Sentence Rates (No Prior Felony)
1998-9 (annualized) By Age
New sentences by age, race
Rate per 100,000 population
1600
1200
800
400
0
<18
18-19
20-21
22-24
25-29
30-34
Age
White
Black
35-39
40-44
45+
Whites: Prison Admits by Age, Offense (New Sentences Only, No Prior
Felony)Wisconsin Total, 1998-9 summed
Offenses by Age, Whites
30
Rate per 100,000 population
25
20
15
10
5
0
<17
18-19
20-21
violent
22-24
25-29
rob/bur
drug
30-34
theft
35-39
other
unk
40-44
45+
Black Prison Admits by Age & Offense (New Sentences, No Prior Felony)
Wisconsin Total, 1998-9 annualized
Offenses by Age, Blacks
800
700
Rate per 100,000 population
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
<17
18-19
20-21
violent
22-24
25-29
rob/bur
drug
30-34
theft
35-39
other
unk
40-44
45+
Black/White Disparity Ratios in Prision Admissions by Age, Offense
(New Sentences, No Prior Felony) Wisconsin Total
Disparities by Age, Offense
Ratio of Per Capita Imprisonment Rates
100
80
60
40
20
0
<17
18-19
20-21
22-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
Age
violent
rob/burg
drug
theft
other
40-44
45+
County Comparisons
Males in prison per 100,000 population in April 2000, Wisconsin Counties with More than 1000
Non-Prisoner Blacks
White NH Men
Black Men
# counties with < 1000 American Indians
Graphic calculated using 1999 population estimates
Hispanic Men
To
ta
l
W
is
c.
O
th
er
#
Ke
no
sh
a
R
oc
k
#
#
R
ac
in
e
#
an
e
D
W
au
ke
sh
a
M
ilw
au
ke
e
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
AmerInd Men
Females in Prison per 100,000 population in April, 2000,Wisconsin Counties with More than 1000
Non-Prisoner Blacks
To
ta
l
W
is
c.
th
er
O
#
Ke
no
sh
a
R
oc
k
#
#
R
ac
in
e
#
an
e
D
W
au
ke
sh
a
M
ilw
au
ke
e
2000
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
White NH Women
Black Women
Hispanic Women
AmerInd Women
# counties with < 1000 American Indians
Graphic calculated using 1999 population estimates
Total Prison Admissions Per 100,000 in 1999
3000
2500
2000
1500
White
Black
1000
500
0
ne
a
D
e
ee
ha
n
i
s
k
u
ac
no
a
e
R
K
ilw
M
a
ce
sin
sh
n
n
e
a
k
al
sco
i
B
au
I
W
W
W
ck
o
R
Compare Counties Whites New Sentences
Compare counties Black, new sentences
thick
Compare Counties, New Sentences B/w
ratio
Black/White Disparity Ratios For New Drug Sentences
County Drug Disparities218by Time
250
Dane
200
Waukesha
150
100
Rock
67
WI Bal.
Kenosha
50
35
29-31
15
1990
1991
Racine
1992
Milwaukee
1993
Racine
20-24
Milwaukee
0
1994
WI Balance
1995
Dane
1996
Kenosha
1997
Waukesha
1998
1999
Rock
Compare counties, Whites violations
Compare Counties, Blacks Violations
Compare Counties, Violations B/W ratio
Milwaukee County Prison Admits (New Sentences Only)
500
Milwaukee New Totals
450
Rate per 100,000 population
400
Black
350
300
Hispanic
250
200
150
White
100
AmerInd
Asian
50
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
White, NH total
Black, NH total
Hispanic total
American Indian Total
Asian Total
Milwaukee County New Imprisonment Rates, Black Non-Hispanics
250
Milwaukee Drugs
New Black
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
200
150
Violent
100
Robbery & Burglary
Theft
50
Other
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
Milwaukee County New Imprisonment Rates, White Non-Hispanics
12
Milwaukee New White
Violent
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
10
8
Other
Drugs
6
Robbery & Burglary
4
Theft
2
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
Dane County Prison Admits (New Sentences Only)
1000
Dane New Totals
All Races
Black
900
Rate per 100,000 population
800
700
600
500
400
300
AmerInd
Hispanic
200
100
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
White
White, NH total
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Year
Black, NH total
Hispanic total
1999
Asian
American Indian Total
Asian Total
Dane County New Imprisonment Rates, Black Non-Hispanics
450
Drugs
Dane New
Black
400
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
350
300
250
Violent
200
Theft
150
100
50
Robbery & Burglary
Other
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
Dane County New Imprisonment Rates, White Non-Hispanics
9
Dane NewViolent
White
Robbery & Burglary
8
Theft
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
7
Other
6
5
4
3
2
Drugs
1
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
Racine County Prison Admits (New Sentences Only)
800
Racine Totals New Sentences
700
Rate per 100,000 population
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Year
White, NH total
Black, NH total
Hispanic total
1999
Racine County New Imprisonment Rates, Black Non-Hispanics
300
Racine New Black
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
250
200
150
100
50
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
VIOLENT OFFENSES
Year
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
1999
Racine County New Imprisonment Rates, White Non-Hispanics
20
Racine New White
18
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
Year
1996
1997
1998
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
1999
Kenosha County Prison Admits (New Sentences Only)
1200
Kenosha new totals
Black
Rate per 100,000 population
1000
800
600
AmerInd
400
Hispanic
200
white
0
Asian
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
White, NH total
Black, NH total
Hispanic total
American Indian Total
Asian Total
Kenosha County New Imprisonment Rates, Black Non-Hispanics
500
Kenosha New Black
450
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
VIOLENT OFFENSES
Year
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
1999
Kenosha County New Imprisonment Rates, White Non-Hispanics
35
Kenosha New White
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
Year
1996
1997
1998
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
1999
Rock County Prison Admits (New Sentences Only)
700
Rock New Totals
600
Rate per 100,000 population
500
400
300
200
100
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
White, NH total
1994
1995
Year
Black, NH total
1996
1997
1998
Hispanic total
1999
Rock County New Imprisonment Rates, Black Non-Hispanics
350
Rock New Black
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
VIOLENT OFFENSES
Year
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
1999
Rock County New Imprisonment Rates, White Non-Hispanics
Rock New White
14
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
1999
Waukesha County Prison Admits (New Sentences Only)
1600
Waukesha Total
1400
Rate per 100,000 population
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Year
White, NH total
Black, NH total
Hispanic total
1999
Waukesha County New Imprisonment Rates, Black Non-Hispanics
900
Waukesha New Black
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
1999
Waukesha County New Imprisonment Rates, White Non-Hispanics
9
Waukesha New White
8
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Year
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
1999
Wisconsin Balance Prison Admits (New Sentences Only)
700
WI balance
total
Black
600
Rate per 100,000 population
500
400
Asian
300
AmerInd
Hispanic
white
200
100
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
White, NH total
Black, NH total
Hispanic total
American Indian Total
Asian Total
Wisconsin Balance New Imprisonment Rates, Black Non-Hispanics
300
WI balance new black
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
250
200
150
100
50
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
VIOLENT OFFENSES
Year
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
1999
Wisconsin Balance New Imprisonment Rates, White Non-Hispanics
12
WI balance new white
Imprisonment Rate (per 100,000)
10
8
6
4
2
0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
Year
1996
1997
VIOLENT OFFENSES
ROBBERY/BURGLARY
DRUG OFFENSES
LARCENY/THEFT
OTHER OFFENSES
UNKNOWN
1998
1999
% of Black Population and Prison Admissions 1999
WI balance
Racine
Rock
Waukesha
Kenosha
Dane
Milwaukee
Population
Prisoners
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00
% of White Population and Prison Admissions 1999
WI balance
Racine
Population
Rock
Prisoners
Waukesha
Kenosha
Dane
Milwaukee
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
Dane vs. Milwaukee Counties
A more detailed look at offense
breakdowns
Prison Entry From Dane County 1999, by offense and race
Prison entry from Dane County 1999
Other/Unkown
Derived
Public Order
Family/Child
Weapons
Drugs
Prostitution/Sex
Burglary
Theft/Fraud
Criminal
Arson
Robbery
Assaults
Sexual Assault
Homicide
0
20
40
60
Persons Sentenced to Prison
white
black
80
100
Dane County Prison Admissions per 100,000 by race & offense, 1999 (Totals: Black 3361, White 87)
Other/Unkown
Derived
Public Order
Family/Child
Weapons
Drugs
Prostitution/Sex
Burglary
Theft/Fraud
Criminal
Arson
Robbery
Assaults
Sexual Assault
Homicide
0
200
400
white
600
black
800
1000
Milwaukee and Dane County Prison
Ne w Pris on Se nte nce s Pe r 100,000 population 1999
Mke Black
Oth/Unknown
Mke White
Derived
Dane Black
Public Order
Dane White
Family/Child
Weapons
Possess Drug
Mfg/Sale Drug
Prostitution
Theft/Fraud
Burglary
Arson
All robbery
Other Assault
Agg Assault
Sex Assault
Homicide
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Milwaukee and Dane County Arrests
Arre s ts Pe r 100,000 population 1999
Public Order
Family/Child
Weapons
Possess Drug
Mfg/Sale Drug
Prostitution
Mke AfAm
Theft/Fraud
Mke White
Dane AfAm
Burglary
Dane White
Arson
All Robbery
Other Assault
Agg Assault
Sex Assault
Homicide
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
Milwaukee County: Allocating Disparities to Arrest vs. Post-Arrest Processing
Source s of Black /White Im pris onm e nt Rate Diffe re nce : Milw auk e e
County
Due to Arrests
Hom icide
Se x As s ault
Due to P/A Ratio
Agg As s ault
Othe r As s ault
All Robbe ry
Ars on
~72% of
difference is
due to arrest
differentials
Burglary
The ft/Fraud
Pros titution
Mfg/Sale Drug
Pos s e s s Drug
We apons
Fam ily/Child
Public Orde r
De rive d
Oth/Unk now n
0.00
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
0.40
Proportion of Difference in Imprisonment Ratios
Dane County : Allocating Disparities to Arrest vs. Post-Arrest Processing
So urces o f B lack/ Whit e Impriso nment R at e D if f erence: D ane C o unt y
Due to Arrests
Homicide
Sex Assault
Due to P/A Ratio
Agg Assault
Other Assault
All Robbery
Arson
~ 37% of
difference is
due to arrest
differentials
Burglary
Theft/Fraud
Prostitution
Mfg/Sale Drug
Possess Drug
Weapons
Family/Child
Public Order
Derived
Oth/Unknow n
0.00
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
Pr opor tion of Diffe r e nce in Im pr is onm e nt Ratios
Arrest Rates in Madison & Milwaukee,
1998-1999
Source: Uniform Crime Reports
Data obtained from Wisconsin
Office of Justice Assistance
Annual Arrest Rate Per 100,000 Madison PD 1998-1999
80000
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
68219
44164
21384
4909
Arrests per 100,000
Black Juv
Black Adult
White Juv
White Adult
Adult Arrest Rates Per 100,000
Average 1998-1999
60000
50000
40000
White
Afr.Am.
30000
20000
10000
0
Madi. PD
Dane Cty
Milw. PD
Milw. Cty
Juvenile Arrest Rates Per 100,000
Average 1998-1999
80000
70000
60000
50000
White
Black
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
Madi. PD
Dane Cty
Milw. PD
Milw. Cty
Total Juvenile Arrest Rate 1997-9, Annual Average
Total Juvenile Arrests
140000
Arrests per 100,000 population
120000
Dane
Kenosha
Milwaukee
Racine
Rock
Waukesha
WIBalance
Wisc Total
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
White
Black
AmerInd
Asian
Total Adult Arrest Rate 1997-9, Annual Average
Adult, Total arrests
100000
90000
Arrests per 100,000 population
80000
Dane
Kenosha
Milwaukee
Racine
Rock
Waukesha
WIBalance
Wisc Total
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
White
Black
AmerInd
Asian
Arrests 1997-1999 Averages: Adult Disparity Ratios
Wisc Total
Serious
12
Marijuana Possession
4
Other Drug Offenses
17
Theft/Larceny
11
Simple Assault
11
Other Property
5
Weapons & Misc
13
Alcohol-Related
1
Disorderly Conduct
7
Wrong Place
1
Other, Except Traffic
8
Total
6
Dane Kenosha Milwaukee
18
10
10
13
6
4
33
26
9
16
11
7
20
7
7
8
6
5
13
6
7
3
2
1
12
4
5
44
3
19
8
7
13
7
5
Racine
9
3
11
6
6
4
6
1
2
5
4
Rock Waukesha WIBalance
9
34
15
5
13
8
17
38
27
5
75
12
6
17
15
3
26
9
5
19
10
1
6
3
5
17
9
23
10
6
10
21
12
7
20
9
Arrests 1997-1999 Averages: Juvenile Disparity Ratios
Wisc Total
Serious
5
Marijuana Possession
2
Other Drug Offenses
6
Theft/Larceny
3
Simple Assault
6
Other Property
2
Weapons & Misc
5
Alcohol-Related
0
Disorderly Conduct
4
Wrong Place
3
Other, Except Traffic
2
Total
3
Dane Kenosha Milwaukee Racine
7
3
4
4
4
2
1
1
12
11
3
8
5
3
2
3
12
6
3
3
3
2
1
2
5
3
3
3
1
1
0
0
7
4
3
3
3
3
2
0
3
2
2
1
4
3
2
2
Rock Waukesha WIBalance
6
9
8
2
3
4
10
3
8
3
15
7
6
21
17
2
5
5
4
16
9
1
2
3
4
7
8
4
5
6
4
3
7
4
6
7
Rates of Arrest for Specific Offenses 1998-9 Dane County Juveniles
Offense
Murder
Manslaughter
Forcible Rape
Robbery
Agg Assault
Burglary
Larceny/ Theft
Motor Vehicle Theft
Other Assault
Arson
Forgery, Counterfeit
Fraud
Embezzlement
Stolen Goods
Vandalism
Weapons
Prostitution
Other Sex Offenses
White
1
1
11
51
278
280
2663
254
548
30
75
55
0
82
692
280
0
99
Black
50
0
75
958
1580
1555
13744
1530
6816
174
261
149
12
423
1766
970
0
871
AmerInd
0
0
0
0
141
0
1126
282
141
0
0
0
0
0
282
141
0
282
Asian
0
0
0
187
166
208
3113
228
394
21
104
21
0
42
208
145
0
42
B/W
50.0
0.0
6.8
18.8
5.7
5.6
5.2
6.0
12.4
5.8
3.5
2.7
x
5.2
2.6
3.5
x
8.8
Rates of Arrest for Specific Drug Offenses,
1998-9 Dane County Juveniles
Offense
Drug Abuse Violations
TOTAL
Drug Sale/Manufacture
SUBTOTAL
Opium or cocaine
Marijuana
Synthetic narcotics
Other drugs
Drug abuse possession
subtotal
Opium or cocaine
Marijuana
Synthetic narcotics
Other drugs
White
Black
AmerInd
Asian
B/W
810
4453
282
311
5.5
102
48
50
2
2
1418
1182
211
25
0
0
0
0
0
0
21
21
0
0
0
13.9
24.6
4.2
12.5
0.0
709
8
652
6
43
3035
348
2624
12
50
282
0
282
0
0
291
42
208
0
42
4.3
43.5
4.0
2.0
1.2
Rates of Arrest for Specific Offenses 1998-9 Dane County Juveniles
Offense
Gambling TOTAL
Bookmaking
Numbers, Lottery
Other gambling
Family / Child offenses
OMVI
Liquor laws
Drunkenness
Disorderly conduct
Vagrancy
Other (except traffic)
Suspicion
Curfew, loitering
Runaways
Total*
White
0
0
0
0
12
91
2171
1
2144
21
5893
26
1176
1463
19208
Black
37
0
0
37
25
25
2326
0
14863
0
18744
0
3868
4490
79764
AmerInd
0
0
0
0
0
0
1267
0
1126
0
1971
0
422
1830
9291
Asian
0
0
0
0
0
0
934
0
789
0
3030
0
311
1224
11475
B/W
x
x
x
x
2.1
0.3
1.1
0.0
6.9
0.0
3.2
0.0
3.3
3.1
4.2
Conclusions
• The drug war is being fought “against Blacks” and
this problem is especially bad in Wisconsin
• Probation/parole violation holds are a major source
of arrests and a major source of jail crowding.
• Large racial disparities in serious crimes indicate a
real problem that needs to be addressed
• Racial patterns of arrests for lesser offenses create
“prior offenses” which affect sentencing
Making Things Worse
• High imprisonment rates (including longer sentences,
high rates of probation/parole revocation) are not a
constructive way of dealing with the problem of nonviolent property crimes (thefts) and drug offenses
• Enormous expenses to house these offenders in prison
• Destruction of offenders’ lives and and serious harm
to their families
• Because of racial targeting of the drug war, the
harmful consequences of this policy are being
concentrated in Black communities, while the
beneficiaries of the policy do not pay its price
Effects of Incarceration
• Criminal Records + Racial Discrimination
Hurt Employment Opportunities
• Next few slides are from research by Devah
Pager, new PhD from University of Wisconsin
Sociology, Now on faculty at Northwestern
• This was a controlled experiment in which
matched pairs of applicants applied for entrylevel jobs advertised in Milwaukee newspapers
Figure 4. The Effect of a Criminal Record on
Employment Opportunities for Whites
Percent Called Back
40
34
35
30
25
20
17
15
10
5
0
Criminal Record
No Record
Figure 5. The Effect of a Criminal Record for
Black and White Job Applicants
Percent Called Back
40
34
35
30
Criminal
Record
25
20
17
14
15
10
5
5
0
Black
White
No
Record
An Individual Life Course Model of Crime With Policing Added
Parental
Unemployment,
Economic &
Educational
Disadvantage
School Failure
Father
Absence/
Family
Disruption
Peer &
Normative
Context
Parental
Involvement in
Crime
Juvenile
Crime
Labeling
and/or
Intervention
Processes
Juvenile
Unemployment
Adult
Unemployment/
UnderEmployment
Policing
Practices
Adult
Crime
Intergenerational Effects
Imprisonment
Imprisonment as a Cause of Crime?
Labeling
Etc.
Processes
reduces ?
Family
Disruption
+
Imprisonment
Rates
+
+
+
Crime
+
reduces ?
+
Unemployment
Middle
Class Flight
+
+
+
+
Economic
Distress
Aggressive
Policing
Deviant Culture
(Gangs, Drug
Trade, Criminality
as a way of life)
+ due to Political Powerlessness
+
+
Spatial
Isolation of
Poor Blacks
What is to be done?
• This is not a sound bite issue.
• Factors include a combination of bias,
real differences in serious crime, social &
political conditions
• Patterns are arising from the core
structures of our society
• But there are steps we can take
Oppose the “drug war”
• Treatment and public education are the most
effective ways to reduce drug use
• Drug enforcement just increases the profits of illegal
drugs, makes the problem worse
• Learn about the consequences of alcohol prohibition:
drive-by shootings, organized crime
• The largest racial disparities are for drug offenses
• Association of violence with drugs is due to illegality
& police enforcement
Oppose “tough on crime” rhetoric
• Help depoliticize crime as an issue
• Distinguish among different kinds of
crimes
• Take the crime problems of poor (&
economically integrated) neighborhoods
seriously without over-reacting and
“middle class panic”
• Call for rehabilitation & restoration for
lesser offenses, not “lock ‘em up”
Revisit probation & parole
• The vast majority of offenders are not
murderers or rapists – they will get out
• Insist the system focus on rehabilitating
and reintegrating offenders, rather than
looking for opportunities to incarcerate
them
• NOTE: Wisconsin has abolished parole,
but has “extended supervision”
Address “root causes” of crime
• Reduce poverty and deprivation through
income transfers (e.g. earned income
credit), training programs, living wages
• Provide social support, education,
constructive alternatives for juveniles
who are not doing well in school
• Need to break the inter-generational
cycle caused by massive incarceration
Address racial bias & prejudice
• Racial discrimination in employment &
housing reduce constructive options
• Conscious and unconscious biases,
perceptions, assumptions affect policing &
sentencing
• White fear of crime more sensitive to
presence of Blacks than to actual crime rates
• Politicians play on Whites’ race-tinged crime
fears in pushing “tough on crime” policies
Racism and Justice: Conclusions
• We cannot move from an unjust to a just
situation by ignoring race and pretending the
disparities are not there
• We cannot achieve racial justice by ignoring
the real differences in serious crimes,
economic & social conditions
• We cannot achieve racial justice by treating
this as “somebody else’s” problem
• Politics caused the problem, and politicians
need to be part of the solution